


Against the Current

by nihilistshiro



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, First Time, Gay Sex, M/M, Marking, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multiple ships, NSFW, Rimming, Romance, Scent Marking, Smut, VictUuri, Victuuri Week, Victuuri Week 2018, explicit content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-11 20:17:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 46,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13531764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nihilistshiro/pseuds/nihilistshiro
Summary: When his younger brother presents as an Omega, Prince Viktor Nikiforov has no choice but to return the kingdom of his birth and assume the throne, lest Alphas from the other noble families start an all-out war for dominance. But Viktor has spent the last decade of his life as a wealthy trader, traveling the world and building a name for himself outside of his family's empire. Now, he finds himself thrust back into a world of court etiquette and responsibility and prepared to resign himself to a life of service. Little does he know that a timid Omega will waltz into his life and push him to go against the societal rules his family has spent centuries enforcing.Yuuri Katsuki is a skilled dancer, who uses his skill to earn money and send it back home to his family. When his troupe is offered a commission to provide entertainment for the upcoming coronation of a certain silver-haired prince, Yuuri's life of loneliness and anxiety are thrown for a loop, even if his status as an Omega means he's a second-class citizen in Ilych. Unmated, unbonded, and unsure, Yuuri is taken in and cared for by the strong Alpha that he can't seem to get out of his head. An Alpha who is determined to change the shape of their destiny.





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit. It feels surreal to be writing my first fic with ABO dynamics and I am shook. I've been working on this fic for a long ass time and finally, finally, finally I am here! I really want this to be fun - a historically-inspired fic that has lots of great smut, action, and romance and when I saw that the first AU prompt for [Victuuri Week 2018](http://victuuri-week.tumblr.com/) was historical, it lit a fire under my ass. 
> 
> You'll notice that I didn't go overboard in trying to get every detail right, from the clothes to their speech, because I like the "A Knight's Tale" approach to historical fiction. I wanted them to speak in a way that I could still relate to, so it's a bit more upbeat and digestible than your average historical fic (I hope?). I also based it on a certain time period, with specific cultural nuances based on the nationalities of our fave skaters.
> 
> I'll be updating pretty regularly, as this ficlet only has 5 planned chapters. I really do hope you enjoy!

Viktor had been away from his family's kingdom for almost a decade, and as he stared out across the water that separated him from a life he thought he'd left behind, he couldn't believe how much time had passed.   
  
He could just see the coastline from the deck of his ship, his hand resting on the smooth wooden railing. The fortress city of Ilyich loomed ahead in the distance, sprawling on the shore before him - the place he had spent his childhood. A place that he never thought he'd lay eyes on again.   
  
As his magnificent vessel sailed closer, he could see the castle was still as domineering as it had been when he was a boy. High stone walls surrounded the entire structure in a fierce display of power. There was a massive tower rising from the castle’s center that he could make out along the skyline, it's domed roof peaking above the other buildings. The dome was plated with gold, and it shimmered like a beacon in the morning light, calling him back to his ancestral home.   
  
His hands flexed against the wood, resolve rippling through him as he thought of his return. Of what this meant for his future. He had not expected to be back here, facing the responsibilities of the throne and the suffocating etiquette of the court, yet the city loomed closer still. His crew hoisted their colors to announce their arrival.   
  
Viktor’s nostrils flared as the scent of an interloper drew closer, but it was one he knew well. He turned to look at his right-hand man, Christophe - or Chris as he usually called him - the omega who balanced him out and kept him sane all these years.   
  
“Viktor,” Chris’ baritone cut through the sounds of a busy ship as he spoke. “We’ll be docking shortly.”   
  
Viktor wanted to respond, but could only nod. He felt the cold mask of indifference begin to take shape, understanding the aloof persona he needed to project in order to survive here.   
  
“You don’t have to do this, you know.”   
  
Viktor let out a humorless huff of laughter at Chris’ remark. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising and tension bubbled up within him.   
  
“What would you have me do?” he asked, sharper than he intended.   
  
With all that was rolling around in his mind, it was difficult for him to control his anger. He had spent the majority of his adult life learning to control his alpha nature, taming it to be of use in an attempt to become more than what his biology determined. But he would earn no sympathy from this kingdom’s court for his idealistic views. The sooner he fell into their mindset, the better.   
  
It would be difficult to perfect the conservative, harsh demeanor he knew the nobles would demand, especially after so many years of living only for his own pleasure.   
  
“Let someone else worry about the throne,” Chris said simply, as if Viktor was missing the obvious. “This place never held anything for you but pain and imprisonment. We were living our best lives at sea.”   
  
For ten years, Viktor traveled the far reaches of the world, building his trading dynasty. The alpha was known among people from villages that stretched in every direction, his strength and handsome looks spurred bards from across vast distances to craft hyperbolic tales of heroism that were told across fires and ale, stoking the mystique that surrounded him.   
  
In many ways, Viktor was larger than life.   
  
“I wish it were that easy, my friend,” Viktor replied with a hand to Chris’ shoulder as he passed him on his way to the helm.   
  
Chris was just a few years younger than Viktor when he came aboard. Viktor had recently purchased his own ship after a couple of years serving on various crews and Chris was on the run from life as an omega in his home village. Some places had backwards notions about omegas, refusing to let them perform certain roles in society, or in the worst cases, treating them as subservients, meant only to please their alphas.   
  
Chris had come from such a place and had escaped an arranged marriage. He was 13 and the man he was set to marry was in his fifties. Viktor readily gave him safe passage aboard his ship, creating a space for the omega to grow worry-free. Viktor reveled in his ability to be so utterly different from the man who raised him.   
  
He and Chris conquered the seas together, and Viktor never considered the omega to be less-than because of how he presented.   
  
But their destination did not share his forward-thinking sentiments.   
  
His eyes narrowed, his long silver hair ruffling in the wind as they approached the shore. It was braided back at his temples, a few strands tugged loose by the fierce gusts rolling off the frigid water. His hands were steady on the helm as he steered the ship effortlessly. Perfectly arched silver brows furrowed sharply as he thought of returning from the life he had built for himself to the archaic and sometimes cruel rules of conduct he would soon be forced to adhere to.   
  
The kingdom’s austere views on alpha dominance left a bad taste in Viktor’s mouth. Only alphas could reign here, and they did so with an iron fist. The past ten years of his life stuck out in sharp contrast to the elite hierarchy of rule he was entering back into.   
  
“Prepare to dock!” he called out, his crew hustling to carry out his order.   
  
The wood beneath his hands groaned under his tight grip. He never wanted to anything to do with his bloody heritage and left home to lead his own life.   
  
Forge his own path.   
  
His father didn’t understand Viktor’s desire for something outside of the empire their family had built. Centuries ago, Viktor’s ancestor brought together seven small clans to create a strong kingdom, serving as king above the alpha lords who served him while governing their own provinces.   
  
Since then, his family remained in control, having fostered a fierce military strength that rarely needed to be exerted. Everything and everyone in the kingdom had a place, and nonconformity was met with hostility. Rejecting any part of the court’s virtues went against every lesson he received about being a royal alpha.   
  
Not only was he expected to ascribe to the outdated practices concerning omegas and betas, he was also bound to uphold the dignity of the throne. Or at least, the public perception of its dignity.   
  
Chris came to stand by his side, arms crossed over his chest in a sign of annoyance. Viktor knew he wasn’t happy about coming here. Knew that Chris would have a hard time adjusting to the lifestyle of an omega in Ilych. All of his crew members would.   
  
“I know this isn’t your first choice,” Viktor said, “but I’m grateful that you’re here.”   
  
Chris smirked at that. He was incredibly handsome and never lacked a willing alpha to share his heats.   
  
“You know there’s no place any of us would rather be, oh great alpha,” Chris said sarcastically.   
  
It was Viktor’s turn to smile.   
  
He still demanded absolute loyalty from his crew, and his skill in a fight quickly gave him the reputation of an alpha not to be trifled with.   
  
He did a lot less fighting these days and experienced relative peace for the past few years. Still, it was astonishing that everyone who served him readily agreed to follow him on this new adventure.   
  
By the time they were drifting into port and saw the magnificent ship docked, the high morning sun burned away some of the thick fog. There was no frost on the ground, but soon enough winter would be upon them.   
  
Viktor dressed luxuriously, as was expected of his rank, a thick collar white fur trimming the hood of his heavy cloak. The plum fabric was adorned with swirling gold patterns, material pooling around the fine leather of his boots. The cloak fastened with heavy golden chains that were secured with amethyst stones.   
  
Using a nearby rope, he swung off the ship, enjoying the physicality of it and huffing a visible breath as he landed on the wooden dock.   
  
"Hello, Prince Viktor," a palace guard said in a shaky voice as he approached the prince.   
  
Viktor’s blue eyes pierced into the man, who quickly averted his gaze. He had assumed his mantle of alpha the minute he set foot on the dock, exuding nothing but power and dominance. He glanced across the small band of men assembled and frowned in displeasure.   
  
"Where is my brother?"   
  
A sudden gust of wind sent his cloak whipping around his muscular legs as the silence stretched uncomfortably long.   
  
"Well, h-he," the guard stammered. The beta visibly shrank away from the prince, instinctively exposing his neck as a sign of docility.   
  
Unable to finish his thought, he looked to his comrades, who had lined up behind him, for help.   
  
"He is otherwise occupied, my lord," another soldier responded, her voice hushed.   
  
"I see," Viktor replied coolly, his eyes sparking as he smelled the fear and trepidation coming off of them.   
  
Of course his brother bailed on him, even though Yuri was the very reason he was back at all. The brat didn’t even have the courtesy to greet Viktor’s ship. He had always been a spitfire, and while he was only a boy when Viktor left, he was confident his younger brother would live up to the ferocity required to rule. Had assumed the little menace would grow to be a strong alpha, like everyone did.   
  
But fate had other plans.   
  
Viktor’s jaw clenched. Yuri’s absence stung and he couldn't imagine what could be keeping his brother from greeting him in person after a ten-year absence.   
  
A bright bark sounded across the harbor, pulling Viktor from his thoughts, and he looked up to see his faithful dog Makkachin running around on deck after being cooped up in his cabin for most of the voyage. His four-legged companion was his best friend, and in a streak of fluffy brown fur, Makkachin bounded down the gangplank to walk beside him.   
  
Viktor reached down a gloved hand to give Makka a pat on the head. One of his crew brought about his massive chestnut stallion, it's head bobbing with energy as if it could hardly wait to take off.   
  
"My crew will make the arrangements for my belongings," he said as he swung up onto the back of his horse with little effort, taking the reins from a beta on his crew, who was wise enough to avert their gaze in the wake of the alpha’s anger. "I'll make my own way to the castle."   
  
His tone was dismissive, cold. But that is what was required here. What was expected of a noble. 

 

When Chris and his personal guard made a move to come with him, Viktor's voice cut across the shore with a stern finality that sounded harsh to his own ears, "I’ll go alone."  
  
He ignored the hurt in Chris’ peridot gaze as he turned the majestic beast sharply, it's brown coat glinting red in the sun, and urged it forward. He had warned things his friend things would be different here, at least when they were in public, but that probably hadn’t prepared him for the reality of the situation.  
  
Viktor preferred to ride up to the rocky cliffs overlooking the harbor before making his way down the familiar path to the castle. It was something he had done often as a child, at least when he had managed to escape his father’s brutal lessons.  
  
Strands of brilliant, platinum hair flurried around his face as he pressed forward. He relished in the speed and beauty of the moment. He slowed as he reached the top of the cliffside and eventually stopped, jumping down from his mount. Viktor was grateful for his many layers as it was much colder so high up and the wind was gaining intensity. He felt the braided gold chains holding up his cloak weigh heavily against his chest, the frigid air pressing them down as if to remind him of the burdens that returning home would incur.  
  
Ten years at sea, accumulating more money than he could spend in a lifetime, spending his ruts with the finest lovers in each port, becoming an alpha that could inspire or intimidate just by a mere utterance of his name, but chose a life of peace.  
  
Yet all of that suddenly felt meaningless.  
  
Viktor had been thinking a lot about what he truly wanted from this life and he knew that it was beyond accumulating material wealth or the reach of his sword. He wanted something deeper. To belong. It depressed him to think that he had found something close on the open seas, only to be confined to a life of servitude.  
  
The responsibility of ruling did not intimidate him, but the prospect of disappointing his subjects did. Every alpha feared failure, as it was in their nature to protect. To provide. To be strong. There was a reason antiquated views of alphas and omegas persisted, even if Viktor refused to believe he was a slave to his instincts. He respected the differences between the genders, the tie they held to the composition of human nature, but that didn’t mean he thought it should control one’s destiny.  
  
His gaze grew hard as he thought of the corner he was backed into - a place no alpha was comfortable. He could feel anger brewing through him, his body responding to the looming threat as he thought about the terse and conservative environment he was about to enter into, his scent rising sharply around him.  
  
The thought of ruling left him tied up in knots. But his alpha nature called out in the rightness of it, of the desire to possess and dominate, something the power of kingship could give him. He may have trepidations about what he was getting himself into, but once he’d made up his mind, it was set.  
  
He stared out across the bay a moment more, eyes drifting along the sprawling expanse of building upon building. Viktor had lived a lot of life in the past ten years, and he was not going to bend to the will of the crown. Instead, he would leave his own mark. He would find a way to use his status to push the court’s elitist hierarchy back into an era of acceptance, even if it would take the rest of his days.  
  
He whistled for his steed, Loop, and swung himself up into the saddle. His mouth quirked up into a grin as he thought of the challenge ahead. He may be doing his best to get a grip on his inner alpha, but he couldn’t deny the fierce excitement he felt when he imagined all that he could accomplish. With that thought pulsing through him, he urged his stallion into a gallop and rode toward the castle, eager to see wait lay in wait.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
While Yuri had been absent at his arrival, the entire city seemed exuberant and was decked out for his return. Banners and ribbons hung from every window and flower petals rained down upon him as he made his way up the cobblestone streets. News of the prince's arrival had spread like wildfire and people were jubilant in their celebrations, a cacophony of cheers surrounding him.  
  
To the masses, he was handsome and successful, his carefully crafted smile seducing the crowd, regardless of the fact that it didn't quite reach his eyes. But most importantly, he was avoiding an unnecessary war that would catch them in the middle of a conflict. The public knew all too well that they needed his strength to avoid violence with the other provinces.  
  
Viktor had learned to call upon the alpha ego inside him ages ago, and he used it now to keep a calm mask of confidence stretched across his face. The gate to the courtyard of the grand castle was loud, clanking metal chains hoisting the iron lattice upward as he rode beneath it, patting Loop on the shoulder as the stallion came to a stop, the gate-crashing shut behind him.  
  
The king’s guard was there to greet him. Although his father had passed away a few years back, the guard still served the royal family. His Uncle Yakov, one of the only betas on the entire Nikiforov tree, was currently stewarding the throne in anticipation of Yuri’s coming-of-age since everyone expected his brother to present alpha.  
  
They were all wrong.  
  
Viktor remembered the waxed parchment he had received two months ago that had spurred his arrival, the message inside altering the entire projection of his life. Impossibly, unexpectedly Yuri had presented as an omega. Something that, from Yakov’s frenzied letter, had shocked the kingdom. Viktor could still remember the faint scent of Yakov’s fear ghosting over the parchment.  
  
As a beta, Yakov could not claim the throne and was barely permitted the year-long grace period to steward the crown. If the other noble families caught wind of any weakness, there would be a fight for control and innocent lives would be lost. It had happened long ago when people had been more driven by their instincts and relished in senseless violence.  
  
Viktor was here to prevent that from happening. He told himself that times had indeed changed.  
  
A cough from Chris, who stood behind him, snapped him out of his reverie.  
  
His mind had been drifting more frequently and he wondered how long he would have before his next rut. For most alphas, the closer they were to rut, the more distracted they became, their instincts more and more difficult to abate.  
  
One of the traditions he refused to uphold was the omega service provided to all nobles. Although the omegas were treated well and paid for their services, Viktor couldn’t stomach the thought that some omegas were there only due to circumstance and lack of opportunity in other professions. He had never paid for a partner, although he had kept company with some of the finest courtesans of all genders from across the world and knew that there were those who relished in their work. Unfortunately, paid mates in Ilych were rarely so lucky.  
  
“Your majesty,” Chris said with a sharp edge, using his formal title in the presence of so many others.  
  
Viktor’s eyes flitted to him and Chris quickly averted his gaze in an obvious show of meekness meant to alert the others present to Viktor’s unquestionable rule. He sent a silent thanks that at least Chris seemed to remember the importance of his composure.  
  
His cerulean stare made its way around to all of the soldiers present as he got each and every one to drop their eyes. Based on their stony expressions, they weren’t pleased with this strange alpha who had been gone almost longer than he had lived there coming in and taking charge. Yet they offered their submission nonetheless, the undeniable authority Viktor possessed rolling off of him in thick waves.  
  
Viktor lept off his horse, handing the reins off to one of the castle's servants, who was dressed in the deep purple that identified royal patronage. Banners of the same hue were hanging from windows and walkways. Viktor had chosen his ensemble to match, although most of the other nobles were far more conservative in dress. He had wanted to pay homage to his heritage, but in a way that he was comfortable with. Just because they did not put emphasis on the finer things, didn’t mean he would relent to a life without taste. Without color.  
  
"Welcome home, Prince Vitya."  
  
Viktor paused the sound of a gravelly voice behind him. The drama in that voice was unmistakable and as he turned to face his uncle, Viktor couldn’t help but think that this was his first of many tests.  
  
"Uncle Yakov," he replied coolly.  
  
He was surprised to see his uncle this soon, assuming the older man would be off in his chambers, conversing with the high council or seeing to other important business.  
  
Viktor stepped closer to the beta and offered a slight bow of his head. It was not full submission, but it was an acknowledgment of Yakov’s temporary status. His uncle grumbled, and waved for Viktor to stand. He was still as crotchety as he had been all those years ago and just as likely to dismiss the trivial propensities of the court. They must be having a hell of a time with him in charge.  
  
"Enough, Vitya,” he said, using the nickname he had given Viktor in childhood. “I'll show you to your quarters."  
  
"Thank you," Viktor replied, relief flooding through him at the sight of the beta. Yakov had aged, almost all of his hair gone except for the long, gray ring just above his ears.  
  
Regardless of how intense his father had been, how much he had demanded from Viktor as a boy, his uncle was always level-headed. Reasonable, even.  
  
Unless his alpha wife Lilia was concerned. She was the only one who seemed to rile him up. Together, they had helped raise him and his brother, until Viktor had the final falling out with his father and set out on his own.  
  
"Tell me what it's like here. What's changed since I left?"  
  
Yakov moved slowly as he led him through the decadent palace halls. He had kept in their family's tradition of spartan living quarters and Viktor wrinkled his nose at the drab decor, the castle feeling more like a prison than the palace it should be.  
  
"On the surface, Ilyich has changed little since you left.”  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Viktor knew that as steward, Yakov was beholden to the council of nobles that represented various parts of the kingdom, but he had put little thought into who they were and what ambitions they might have. He knew they were alphas, as it was required for any family head, and that in some manner or another they were likely obsessed with power and upholding society’s archaic values. That’s all he really needed to know.  
  
"Hmm," Yakov murmured thoughtfully, as they continued down one of the palace's many corridors, it's walls adorned with decorative sconces and fanciful tapestries. “Not long ago, Lord Georgi of the eastern province became involved with a beautiful omega woman. They declared their love for each other and were to undergo the mating ceremony, but it did not work out in the end and she left him for another. It’s all anyone can talk about of late.”  
  
Viktor's heart pinched. He and Georgi had trained together when they were younger, both alphas who were instructed in the art of war. Of discipline. While there was no love lost between them, that didn't mean he wanted the other man to suffer. He liked to think they were amicable, regardless of the fact that they had no real contact over the years.  
  
"That's too bad," Viktor replied softly as they approached the door to his chambers.  
  
He was calm in Yakov’s presence, feeling at ease even as the castle closed in around him. He took a deep breath and opened the door.  
  
The space looked almost identical to how it had been when he left all those years ago, the heavy wood boasting an old banner of the Nikiforov crest, the purple and white threads faded with age.  
  
The entrance opened to a large common area, his room situated in one the castle's corner towers. A fire was already going in the hearth and steam was drifting off of the tub of hot water that had been prepared for him. The servants who had been arranged the bath immediately bowed their heads when he entered, before scurrying away to prepare other chambers for Chris and his commanding officers.  
  
"You look like shit."  
  
Viktor's head whipped around to see his brother standing by one of the large windows. Yuri was slender, his shoulder-length blonde hair pulled back off his face, emerald green eyes sparking with anger as they bored straight into Viktor's skull.  
  
"Yuri," Viktor’s voice sounded pained, even to him. He wanted to launch himself across the room and pull Yuri into his embrace.  
  
Although he was still irked that his brother couldn’t be bothered to meet him at the docks, his heart was heavy with the recent news of his coming-of-age and he could smell the anxiety in Yuri’s scent.  
  
He walked over to him slowly, carefully masking his expression as he looked the teen up and down.  
  
"You've grown."  
  
Yuri's face was one of horror as he tsked at Viktor’s remark.  
  
"Of course I've grown," he spat out. "You've been gone for ten fucking years, you ass."  
  
Viktor stared slack-jawed at the angsty teenager who stood brooding before him. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving Yuri when he was still adolescent and in need of reassurance.  
  
"Yuri," he began, walking over to the open window, it's long blue curtains tied with silver cords to expose an excellent view of the city below. He turned back to lock eyes with his younger brother. "I'm sorry that I left you."  
  
It took a moment for Yuri to register the words and when he did he huffed and his eyes darted away from Viktor’s heavy gaze. He knew the apology was something that most alphas would never own up to, refusing to assume guilt for following their instincts. But Yuri was hurt and that much was obvious. He still could not control his emotions or his scent and Viktor felt like an ass for being mad at his brother when it was clear to him now that Yuri was only rebelling due to the immense shroud of insecurity wafting around him.  
  
"I know that living here with our father must have been difficult," Viktor said, stepping closer to put a hand on Yuri’s shoulder.  
  
It was probably for the best that their father had passed away before Yuri presented as omega. He shuddered to think of the cruel punishment that man would have inflicted for his youngest son’s failure, even if Yuri had no choice in the matter.  
  
“I want you to know that I am here for you now and that I won’t leave you to face this alone.” Viktor waited for Yuri to respond and caught the slight shake in the omega’s slight shoulders, so he continued, "What I did was selfish."  
  
"You think?" Yuri snapped, cheeks flushed in anger, jewel-green eyes glinting.  
  
"I'm sorry," Viktor said simply, his voice full of sincerity that touched Yuri through all of his righteous indignation. "You may not understand my reasons for doing what I did, but I swear I will never leave you again."  
  
Viktor finished, face softer than it had been as tears began streaming down Yuri's face, his jaw clenched tight. Viktor opened his arms for a hug but Yuri kicked him away.  
  
"Enough of this mushy shit," Yuri said, drying his eyes before he could feel any more shame over his emotional outburst. "What did you bring me?"  
  
Viktor gave him a wry grin. Although he hadn't been home to visit Yuri, he had sent extravagant gifts every chance that he could. At first, it was out of guilt but then Viktor discovered he genuinely enjoyed spoiling the boy. It was part of the reason why he returned. He wanted a relationship with Yuri, wanted them to be close.  
  
"Why don't you come and see," Viktor said ruefully.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Much later, after he and Yuri had spent most of the day going through the three cargo vessels he had brought, Viktor returned to his chambers. He had servants bring water for yet another bath, as he was covered in filth from the digging around on the ships, but he sent them away shortly after they were finished hauling up the steaming water. He preferred to bathe himself in solace after such a grueling day.  
  
After disrobing, he went to one of the many trunks that had been brought up by his crew and dug around until he found the jasmine-scented oil he had purchased at a port to the south. The sweet scent filled the room as he tapped a few drops of the liquid into the steaming water of his bath. For some reason, it managed to cancel out his own musk, concealing it with the floral smell, and he found it helped him keep a level head when his instincts were heightened.  
  
He thought briefly back to the look on his brother’s face when he had his crewman bring the small tiger cub from the ship, still curled up in its wooden crate. Viktor had found the animal while raiding an unethical omega harem. He shuddered to think of the faces of omegas he encountered, kept against their will, limbs chained together and heads bowed in defeat. Many of them sporting bruises or worse, and it had not felt like much of a chore to put the alphas who ran the place out of commission for good.  
  
Much like the omegas who were now set free, the white and black striped cub would have a fresh start at life. It had been refreshing it to see Yuri’s normally-scowling face blossomed into a smile. He had clearly gotten little rest since he presented, his bones showing too sharply beneath his pallid complexion. Viktor vowed he would return his brother to full health and do whatever was necessary to make him comfortable here.  
  
He washed with leisure, running a bar of soap over his pale skin. Despite his reunion with Yuri and Yakov, which had gone better than expected, he was still full of mixed emotions about seeing the full court again. There were seven liege lords that made up the council, and factions from each of their holdings would turn up as soon as the messengers announcing his arrivals made it to their land. He had Yakov brief him on all of them and knew that he needed to show strength, needed to be a powerful ruler if he was to keep them in line. The transition between the steward and the new king had to be seamless.  
  
Tomorrow he would meet with the local aristocracy of Ilych and it would be made clear what type of welcome he was truly coming home to. Word would spread of his return and people from every direction would travel to participate in the festivities and games that would be planned out over the next few weeks leading up to his coronation. While the opinion of the people was an important part of ruling, the support—or rather the acquiescence—of the nobles meant a better chance of maintaining the peace.  
  
Viktor sighed, weary already of the sheer volume of tasks there were to complete between now and his crowning.  
  
He felt the urge to run and gritted his teeth, stomping out of the tub. Running was not in an alpha’s nature and the momentary flash of weakness made shame burn hot through him.  
  
He needed a drink.  
  
After patting himself dry and donning the plainest clothes he could find, Viktor slipped from the castle with practiced ease. It was something he had done habitually in his youth.  
  
Careful to pull the hood of his heavy woolen cloak tight around him, he weaved through the familiar streets, searching for a tavern that he could lose himself in. He had also managed to douse himself in more of the scent-covering jasmine oil, something he found helpful given the potency of his musk which in and of itself could reveal his identity.  
  
He went by memory towards the arts district, one of the only places in the imposing city where he found relief from the heavy hand of the court. Actors, dancers, musicians, and other artists congregated in the cluster of stone buildings that were generally left alone by the city’s guards. It had been an oasis for Viktor in his formative years, an island of solace and acceptance in a life filled with the pressures his bloodline demanded.  
  
There were other people in the streets, some gambling and others paired off with a warm companion for the evening, but none gave him so much as a second look. Music and laughter spilled from several windows, making him relax. Viktor allowed himself to blend in with the rest of the crowd, relishing in the notion that no one knew who he was or harbored any expectations of him at the moment. His boots eventually led him past an alehouse that seemed particularly boisterous.  
  
The sound of rhythmic drumming poured into the street from the open door, drawing Viktor’s attention, and inside he could make out dozens of people in costume, dancing on tables, pints of liquid sloshing together as toasts were made by a large fireplace. It was a scene of joy and revelry that drew him in like a moth to the flame. He hadn’t been back in the city since he was 18 and was hoping that no one would recognize him, not yet anyway. Aside from riding through the streets earlier, he had yet to make a formal public appearance. He was desperate for some semblance of anonymity so he might enjoy himself without the responsibilities that the crown shackled to him.  
  
On a whim, he turned into the warm glow of the tavern, eager to lose his train of thought.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
“Are you serious?” Yuuri asked, his chestnut eyes rounding in disbelief.   
  
“Yes!” Phichit exclaimed from where he stood in the doorway to Yuuri’s modest sleeping quarters.   
  
The two were dancers who performed with a traveling show. They had been holed up in Ilych for the past few days, awaiting passage to the East when word had come of the prince’s arrival.   
  
“Celestino told Mickey who told Sara who just told me. We’ve been booked as one of the entertaining acts for the festivities. Feasts. Banquets. The entire city will be celebrating for the next few months until the coronation.”   
  
Yuuri felt his stomach lurch. His fingers began twisting the blue wool of his tunic. It wasn’t as though dancing for the royal court would be bad. In fact, it was a fantastic opportunity. What had Yuuri worried was his upcoming heat that would start in a few days time.   
  
Ilych was not barbaric, per se, but it was definitely not the most welcoming place for an omega. They were treated like second-class citizens, an afterthought only to be valued if they were useful to a given alpha. He could feel his palms start to sweat as he fantasized all the ways this stay could go terribly, horribly wrong for them.   
  
“Hey,” Phichit, who was also an omega, said with a soft smile, “don’t worry so much, ok? Celestino will protect us.”   
  
“I know,” Yuuri replied noncommittally, his voice trailing off as his eyes darted to his lap. His mind was already a million miles away.   
  
He wanted to tell Phichit about his upcoming heat, but he also didn’t want to give his friend cause for worry. They had worked so hard on their craft and performing for any royal family would mean higher wages, and higher wages meant that he could send more back home to his family to help keep up the onsen they ran.   
  
Where he was from, omegas were seen as homemakers, destined to a life of bearing children and keeping the home. It was something that Yuuri couldn’t see himself doing. He wanted to at least try something with his life, and when his love of dancing translated into an opportunity to make extra coin, he couldn’t refuse.   
  
“Sara says we’re going to a tavern to celebrate,” Phichit said with a bright grin.   
  
Despite Yuuri’s impending anxieties, he knew that if he did not distract himself, his thoughts would be a chaotic spiral and could send him into a depression. Thankfully they were staying in a part of the city that seemed devoted to others like them - entertainers who traveled often and lived on the edge of society. For now, he would enjoy his freedom and would worry about his heat later, when it was close to starting.   
  
“Okay,” Yuuri finally responded in his shy, quiet way.   
  
Most omegas he knew were outgoing, their pheromones often carrying with them friendly personalities to help find a mate. And Yuuri would consider himself friendly, but outgoing he most certainly was not. He had pretty much given up hope on finding a mate of his own. Next to Phichit, who was like a beaming star, Yuuri felt dull and unremarkable.   
  
He let out a heavy sigh as he followed Phichit out of their rented rooms and made their way to the tavern they had been frequenting over the past month or so. Phichit and Sara were already friends with all of the barmaids and usually, one or more members of their dance troupe occupied a wooden table.   
  
Several people were already there, imbibing in tankards of ale and mead and Yuuri found himself desperate for a taste of the social lubricant. Phichit, bless him, was already getting him a flask of wine, which Yuuri generally preferred to the bitter ale they usually served. He nursed the drink gratefully as he melted into the crowd, letting others take over the conversation.   
  
“Can you believe that we’ll be getting a whole new set of costumes for the coronation?” Sara asked excitedly, her violet eyes flashing as she spoke.   
  
“Don’t forget the new suite within the palace walls,” Mickey said, coming up beside Sara. “It will be much safer for us there.”   
  
Sara rolled her eyes at her brother and gave him a shove.   
  
“Jeez, Mickey, always so overbearing.”   
  
“It’s my duty as a brother,” he said firmly, doing his best to assert himself.   
  
Mickey was a beta who had never really gotten over the fact that he wasn’t an alpha. He was overly chivalrous. Suffocating at times. Luckily Sara always knew how to handle him, and although she was an omega just like Yuuri, she managed to put the beta in his place.   
  
“Some brother you are,” she said sardonically, returning to chat with Phichit about possible themes for the new routines they would need to develop.   
  
Most of their performances were choreographed as group numbers, with intricate dances, acrobatics, and aerial stunts. Sometimes they had solos, and although he was incredibly timid, Yuuri loved to perform and was hoping to try out his new solo.   
  
He grew somber as he thought of the fact that he might miss his opportunity if he was suffering through his heat for a week. Generally, if an omega went without mating, their heats were longer and more painful, their hormones going wild with the need to couple with an alpha. betas could also provide relief, just not to the same degree.   
  
Yuuri had suffered through his heats his entire life. He was the only virgin omega in his twenties that he had ever met. He tried not to be self-conscious about it. He just hadn’t met one single alpha that he could imagine being that intimate with.   
  
Wine dribbled from the empty flask as he tilted his head back in an effort to collect any remaining liquid. Phichit laughed at his struggle and sent Mickey to get another with a bat of his eyelashes. His handsome friend only needed to flash of his bright smile to find a suitable partner. With his copper skin and thick, dark hair, Phichit was desired by alphas, betas, and omegas alike, and Yuuri knew for a fact that sometimes he slept with people outside of his heat, simply for the pleasure of it.   
  
As soon as the refilled flask made an appearance, Yuuri latched onto it, enjoying the warm buzz curling through his tight muscles. He began to relax, letting the wine loosen his nerves. By the time Yuuri was onto his third flask, he was laughing with Guang-Hong as Phichit did an impression of their sponsor, Lord Celestino. Musicians from one of the local theaters showed up and took over a corner of the tavern, warming up their instruments.   
  
The dancers looked excitedly between one another and when the band struck up a tune they immediately shot to their feet, twirling through the throngs of people. Phichit and Mickey clamored up onto a nearby table, bodies swaying rhythmically to the beat.   
  
Yuuri was drunk and he knew he was drunk and still he could not help the way his body automatically responded to the music. Dancing was something that had always brought him peace and made him feel, however briefly, free from his anxiety.   
  
The entire tavern was alive and moving, bodies slipping together in harmony as the band continued to play. At some point, Yuuri stripped off his heavy woolen tunic, swiping his hair back from his face as he tried fruitlessly to cool himself.   
  
Yuuri danced and drank more wine and was feeling blissful when a scent, unlike anything he had experienced before wafted towards him. Spicy, woodsy, with a hint of bright citrus, but coated in a thick fog of jasmine. Normally the floral scent would muddy his nose, but the underlying aroma was so pungent and mouthwatering that it was as clear as could be. His nostrils flared and his pupils dilated and blood was immediately rushing to his groin.   
  
Yuuri couldn’t remember ever responding to a scent that way. He was suddenly tripping over himself and brushing past the other patrons, eager to find its source. He stopped in his tracks behind a full head of silver hair.   
  
All breath left his body and he froze. Although he was in a crowded room, everything else faded away, as if there were invisible strings tying him to this person, dragging him closer and closer to that delectable aroma.   
  
Suddenly, the silver hair was replaced by a face and Yuuri felt his heart pound sluggishly in his chest. Before him was the most beautiful man he had ever seen. The alpha had high cheekbones, an edge-straight nose, and eyes as big and blue as the sea.   
  
How much wine had Yuuri consumed, exactly? He was unsure, but his hands felt like they were made of lead, his mouth filled with cotton and unwilling to speak as he openly stared.   
  
Then the man smiled, and Yuuri melted right then and there. Never before had he wanted to share his heat, never had he been drawn into an alpha’s scent, yet at this moment, he felt like drowning in his unique perfume. Or maybe his eyes. Or both.   
  
Instead of introducing himself like a normal person, Yuuri simply held out his hand in a silent invitation to dance. Those brilliant, sapphire eyes rounded in surprise before the man reached out and placed his palm in Yuuri’s. As the alpha stood, Yuuri could see he was taller and broader than his own lean frame, but he didn’t let that deter him. Instead, he was slotting their bodies together as they got lost in the crowd, music and laughter and clinking mugs creating a cacophony around them.   
  
Time slowed as they moved together, their hands gripping each other tightly as they swayed to the beat. Yuuri had never done anything like this in his life, but his body was relaxing as the silver-haired alpha’s scent surrounded him like a thick fog. He knew he should probably end this, but it felt too good. Felt too right.   
  
They danced for longer than Yuuri could keep track of as one song melded into the next, their hands exploring each other’s bodies, Yuuri losing in those sea-blue eyes. He had completely forgotten that he was shirtless and certainly wasn’t cognizant enough to feel shame. They were both grinning like fools like they had known each other for years and shared an intimate secret.   
  
The alpha’s wrist came up as he brushed his scent gland gently against the one at Yuuri’s throat and the omega couldn’t help but let out a low moan as their combined fragrance filled his nose. His skin felt hot and flushed as a bead of sweat dripped from his collarbone down his muscular chest, the alpha tracking its movement intently. Yuuri knew the exact moment the alpha could smell his arousal, taking in eyes that were blown black with lust.   
  
This was insanity. Meeting handsome strangers and falling head-first into lust did not happen to Yuuri. He should be afraid, should feel some shred of the panic that was always lurking beneath the surface of his thoughts. But whether it was the wine or he was drunk on this alpha’s pheromones, Yuuri was more relaxed than he had ever felt in his entire life.   
  
His eyes trailed over the man’s expensive boots to his clothes and trim physique before reaching that azure stare. Normally, whenever he was in the presence of an alpha, he instinctively looked away, but this man had him captivated. He wanted to roll his hips against him, wanted to shred away the cloth that separated them, need clawing up his spine like a caged animal.   
  
But instead, Yuuri gripped the man’s shoulders and through the haze addling his brain managed to whine, “Share my heat with me!”   
  
The alpha’s eyes widened and a smattering of pink dusted those perfect cheeks. His fulls lips popped open in shock, but right as he was forming his respond, Yuuri felt an arm around him, pulling him close.   
  
“I am SO sorry!” Phichit yelled over the noise of the tavern, dark eyes fixed on the alpha, who was, in turn, staring at Yuuri in awe.   
  
His blue gaze then shifted to Phichit, who bowed his head slightly as he continued, batting his thick lashes at the alpha in hopes that he would forgive his intrusion. The other omega was dressed in a golden tunic that fit his slender frame, dipping in a deep v to reveal the rich, brown skin of his chest.   
  
“My friend has had a lot to drink and isn't himself. I'm sorry if he bothered you, sir. He normally doesn’t drink and we’ve been out celebrating and things must have gotten out of hand.”   
  
“Celebrating?” Viktor asked, voice low and husky.   
  
The prince was surprised he could speak at all as he focused on reducing the tent in his pants. He was even more surprised that he hadn’t tried to growl at this omega who was intent on separating him from the man he had been dancing with all night.   
  
“Yeah,” Phichit replied, eyes tentatively darting back up to get a good look at the alpha who he had seen Yuuri with from across the room. “We’ve been commissioned to entertain the court for the prince’s arrival.”   
  
Viktor’s jaw definitely dropped at this last admission but before he could respond, his omega was being pulled away. He wanted to stop them, wanted to reach out and pull the raven-haired beauty back to him, mark him with his scent and claim him for his own. The omega’s sweet aroma swirling dangerously heavy in Viktor’s mind. It was clean and light and reminded him of the sea of all places.   
  
His hands clenched to fists at his sides as he forced his aggression away, refusing to relinquish this moment to his inner beast. Besides, if what the other omega had said was true, Viktor knew where he could find them if he was willing to be patient. His mouth quirked up at the thought.   
  
Yuuri wanted to peel Phichit’s arm off of him, wanted to throw his body back towards the arms of the handsome stranger, no doubt in his mind that the alpha would catch him. But his brain was foggy and his stomach was starting to lurch and a clammy sweat was breaking out on his forehead. He sent one last pleading look over his shoulder toward where the silver-haired alpha still stood, Yuuri’s chocolate eyes full of yearning, but then Phichit was tugging him away, back through the crowd and out the door.   
  
The last thing Yuuri remembered before passing out in his room was the scent of spice and wood and citrus and jasmine, lulling him into the darkness of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!! Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> If there is anything you'd like to see take place, let me know! I'm hoping I hit the mark with the ABO stuff, although there's a lot less growling in this chapter (will rectify next time). 
> 
> I want to give an extra special thanks to [@thelastthingweneedisanentmoot](https://thelastthingweneedisanentmoot.tumblr.com/) for being such a good sport and beta-reading this fic even though Omegaverse is not your thang.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [@nihilistshiro](https://nihilistshiro.tumblr.com/) where you can check out my [pocket romance series](https://nihilistshiro.tumblr.com/tagged/pocket-romance)!


	2. Filling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first feast is fast approaching. While Yuuri gets ready for his debut performance at the castle, Viktor prepares for his first noble guests. And when their paths cross, it becomes clear that the chemistry between them from their drunken chance meeting was something extraordinary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This one was a doozy! OVER 10,000 WORDS HOLY CHRYSLER. I am seriously loving this AU and have received so many encouraging and lovely notes! Thank you everyone who has subscribed and liked this fic!! Any and all comments and discussion is most welcome <3<3
> 
> As per usual, I would be nowhere without my darlingest bestest beta reader, who plunges into my crazy fan worlds with me and makes all of this shit possible!! Love you [@thelastthingweneedisanentmoot](https://thelastthingweneedisanentmoot.tumblr.com/)!!

The noises filtering in through Yuuri’s window were thunderous, each sound ricocheting around his small room, making his head throb. The clopping hooves of horses on the stone road, the clanking hammer of a nearby blacksmith, random strings of music from streetside performers. The town was bustling around him and every noise was like an explosion, ringing in the omega’s ears.  
  
He groaned into the bedding beneath him, burying his face in the scratchy linen, searching for relief from the pressure welling in his skull. He wasn’t wearing the shirt that he normally donned for bed, but could feel the woolen leggings he wore the night before that must have twisted as he slept, riding snug around his shapely legs.  
  
“Yuuri!” Phichit’s voice came from the entryway.  
  
Yuuri let out another groan in response, hands going to his ears in a feeble attempt to block out his friend’s booming voice.  
  
“Oh, sorry!” Phichit said in an exaggerated whisper, no remorse evident in his tone. “You need to get up. Celestino came by to tell us that our first performance in the castle is later this week and he wants to get us new costumes! Can you believe it?”  
  
By the end of his rant, Phichit’s voice rose back up to its normal boisterous tone and Yuuri thought his brain was going to squeeze its way out of his head through his eye sockets.  
  
“Phichit-kun,” he managed to grumble in response. “What happened last night?”  
  
Phichit’s laughter was soft and sincere, his familiar scent drifting to Yuuri’s nostrils. He relaxed into it, his body calming despite his hangover.  
  
“You don’t remember getting drunk and practically mating with that gorgeous silver-haired alpha you were dancing with between the tables at the Boar?”  
  
The Bronze Boar was the name of the tavern they frequented during their time in Ilych, and while Yuuri remembered going there and seeing his friends, the rest of the night was mostly a blur. When he focused on what he could remember, there was a fuzzy recollection of long, silver hair, but he couldn’t quite grasp a complete image.  
  
“I danced with an alpha?!” he asked incredulously, sitting up too fast, his head throbbing at the sudden motion.  
  
Yuuri let out a moan, his right hand cupping the side of his head.  
  
“From the looks of things, you were just about to go home with him, too,” Phichit said with a flashy grin. He pointed his thumbs at his chest, “Lucky for you, I was there to make sure you didn’t get into any trouble.”  
  
Yuuri let out a tiny hiccup of surprise, his cheeks flaming hot with embarrassment as a shaking hand moved to cover his gaping mouth.  
  
“What?!”  
  
His arms were flailing wildly as he tried to continue.  
  
“There’s no...I’m not...An alpha?!” he stuttered out, dark brows furrowed together over his big doe eyes, black hair mussed from sleep and sticking up at odd angles.  
  
Yuuri racked his brain, trying to figure out what could have possibly happened for him to be grinding on an alpha of all people when a scent wafted to his nose. Sweeter than anything he could remember smelling. Citrus and spice and wood and jasmine.  
  
He froze in shock as the memories from the previous night slammed back into him.  
  
His fingers shook as they rose to touch his neck, where the alphas scent still lingered. He rubbed his skin with disbelieving fingertips and brought them to his nose, his jaw hanging open in shock.  
  
Phichit laughed again, louder this time as he watched Yuuri process everything.  
  
“Yuuri! You are so easy to tease! I know you’re feeling ill from the wine last night, but Celestino will be upset if we don’t go downstairs soon. You’ve slept well past noon and we need to go get fitted for our new costumes before the seamstresses leave for the day.”  
  
“N-noon?” Yuuri muttered out in disbelief. He never overslept and had certainly never stayed in bed past noon unless he was ill or if he experienced a particularly rough heat.  
  
“Yes!” Phichit nodded, tugging at his friend’s arm. “Now hurry up so Ciao Ciao doesn’t get angry. I want to get to our fitting! You should see the coin he’s planning to drop!”  
  
Phichit’s eyes were wide with excitement and Yuuri could feel the energy thrumming off of his friend. He gave him a soft smile before standing to pull on a tunic to go with the brown leggings he had slept in. Phichit was kind enough not to say anything when he caught Yuuri rubbing the gland on his wrist against the one on his neck, trying to savor the way his pheromones mixed with the lingering scent of alpha.  
  
Yuuri was thankful for the other omega’s understanding, but then again,  it wasn’t as though Yuuri hadn’t spent several sleepless nights supporting Phichit through infatuations and breakups and difficult alphas.  
  
“Shall we?” his friend asked with a quirk of one dark brow, arm bent at the elbow and held out for Yuuri.   
  
He took it with a gentle hand and let Phichit drag him off to the merchant district a few blocks away, mind still trying to piece together exactly what happened the night before. He was beyond embarrassed and could only hope that he never ran into that silver-haired man again.  
  
His next heat cycle was only a week or so away, and if what his friend told him was true, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. He had come to like being unmated, not having to deal with the complications associated with relationships and sex. He also didn’t think he could handle the intense drama that seemed to befall people when they found a partner and it didn’t work out. It seemed exhausting.  
  
More often than not, Yuuri was socially awkward, never knowing what to say and spending endless hours stressing about what he had said and if he had said the wrong thing. He knew he was attracted to men and had gone on a few dates, but each time he felt like his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, his heart beating frantically, wishing for the whole thing to be over.  
  
Single was definitely better. No matter how handsome the alpha from last night was, he didn't need to add more stress to his life.  
  
Yet that realization didn’t stop a teeny tiny voice in the back of his mind from gradually spinning tales about romance and what-ifs.  
  
Luckily for Yuuri, once they arrived at the merchant's shop where the seamstresses would fit them for new costumes, the afternoon passed quickly. He and the rest of the dance troupe, as well as their accompanying musicians, tried on sample after sample of luxurious fabric.  
  
The musicians were all dressed in purple as that was the color of royalty here. It was considered a sign of respect to the host but also was meant to blend in, so as not to distract from the dancers, who were free to dress in costumes that reflected their performances. Sometimes a bard would tell a particular story to go along with the dance, and they would dress in accordance with that tale.  
  
Yuuri ran his fingers across some of the finest cloth he had ever laid eyes upon. Silks of deep, crimson red and a gauzy green fabric that reminded him of seafoam. His favorite was a lush fabric of rich, navy blue. Celestino saw him holding it against his body as he stared at a nearby looking glass and remarked that it complemented his coloring, so they selected it for Yuuri’s solo routine.  
  
Twice throughout the fitting, Mickey was turned down by different seamstresses, a beta and an omega, respectively. Sara couldn’t miss the opportunity to rag on him and soon they were all laughing.   
  
His friends were all chatting excitedly, trying to guess what the castle would be like. There were rumors that they might be assigned quarters within the palace if they were required to perform regularly. That they might actually get to meet and mingle with the nobles.  
  
While Yuuri was anxious and generally disliked crowds, performing was his escape. Sure, he sometimes lacked the confidence that Phichit and the others seemed to possess, but he knew that he was good, had practiced for years to hone his art, and was thrilled to think that soon he would get to perform on such a large stage. Such an illustrious crowd.  
  
The stage allowed him to express himself in a way that he never could manage with words. His shyness kept him from being flirtatious and outgoing like so many of the omegas in his troupe, but when he danced, his walls fell away and he was able to let himself be free.  
  
When they returned from their outing, Yuuri spent most of the night in his room, going over his routine again and again in his mind, half-doing the moves around the cramped space.  
  
They would rehearse as a group a few times before the performance, but he needed the repetition, needed the muscle memory so that if he froze in front of the crowd, his body at least could go through the motions.  
  
It didn’t take long for him to become too preoccupied in perfecting his routine to worry about his hangover or his heat or handsome alpha strangers with flowing silver hair.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
“And now we need to select the fifth course, which should be a light palette cleanser, as the sixth is generally a hearty course served before the traditional toast.”   
  
Yakov’s voice droned on in the background, but Viktor wasn’t really paying attention. Seated at the head of a very large table, his long, pale fingers were thrumming softly against the wood, the multiple gold rings he wore tapping out a little cadence as they clicked against each other.   
  
To his left sat his brother, Yuri, who looked as though he would rather be scraping up horse manure in the stables. Chris sat on his right, a goblet of wine in one hand as the other stroked his carefully clipped goatee.     
  
Servants were bringing them dish after dish to try, which was apparently imperative to selecting a menu for the feast. Each dish needed to be carefully chosen in keeping with the traditions of the court. If he was trying to play the game by the rules, Viktor would take this as an opportunity to strategize, to lay the best groundwork for himself to succeed in this first event and establish a firm grip on the throne.   
  
But he couldn’t help but notice a disturbing pattern of behavior from the servants, all of whom were omegas. They seemed to be genuinely terrified of the royal family. After each deposited a new plate before them, they backed away slowly. They set down their platters carefully as if turning and fleeing would stoke the beast within him and he would give chase.   
  
The scent of fear was thick around him, and as his eyes met Chris, he knew the other man could pick up on it, too. It was so suffocating that he could taste it in his mouth, not in the same, sharp way that he had experienced in battle, but pungent nonetheless.   
  
As they went through the motions of serving each course, it became a flavor of its own, coating the food and making him nauseous. Chris must be feeling the same way, as he sipped on his wine and ignored plate after plate. Viktor’s mouth tugged down at the corners as Yakov continued talking about the preparations for the feast like if he could possibly enjoy any of the things presented to him with the smell of terror so pervasive.   
  
“Enough,” he said, his voice ringing with authority.   
  
All movement in the hall stopped as Viktor stood, scooting his chair back dramatically. The heels of his black leather boots clicking as he walked across the stone floor toward the nearest servant.   
  
Her scent was radiating around her, making Viktor’s nose wrinkle, but her dark eyes were glued to the ground. She trembled as he neared and although it made his heart ache to upset her any further, this needed to be done. If he was going to stay here, if he was truly going to try and do what was best for his people, he needed to make a few adjustments. Most of the staff would have been here during the reign of his father, and he had no doubt that their lives had been miserable living under that madman’s scrutiny.   
  
His hand was gentle on the girl’s shoulder. She couldn’t be much older than seventeen, just about Yuri’s age. She shivered at this touch, head bowed deep. Viktor used his fingertips beneath her chin to tilt her head upward, demanding silently that she meet his gaze. An omega’s instincts would immediately tell them to look away when faced with danger, but Viktor didn’t want her to feel threatened. She remained wary until his face broke out into a heart-shaped grin.   
  
Viktor deliberately did his best to push down the instincts rising in him, unbidden pheromones spreading the scent of dominance. Viktor calmed his mind, reigning in his body’s natural response and exuding an air of calmness. Of clarity. He was not one to be ruled by impulses and he wanted the staff to know that they need not fear a violent outburst from him.   
  
“I am sorry for whatever mistreatment might have befallen you under the rule of my father,” he said, voice buoyant in spite of the serious topic of conversation.   
  
“Y-your majesty?” the girl asked, her eyes round with shock.   
  
“Please, now that I am in charge here, it would mean a great deal to me if you did not cower at the sight of us,” he said, his gaze traveling across the room, meeting the eyes of all the servants present.   
  
They landed on Yuri, who was stuffing his face with the sample dishes, hands darting from plate to plate as he continued to shovel food into his mouth. Chris cleared his throat and his brother freezing mid-bite when he realized everyone was staring at him. He had the decency to look bashful, and while Viktor doubted his brother had been harming any of the servants, he knew how volatile the omega could be.   
  
“Sorry,” the teen muttered, full of angst. His eyes darted away when they met Viktor’s disappointing stare.   
  
Chris chuckled at him and Yuri shot the older omega a scathing look.   
  
“Such manners,” Chris teased, throwing Yuri a wink that only made him scowl deeper.   
  
“As I was saying,” Viktor continued, bringing his cerulean gaze back to the girl, “you have nothing to fear from me or anyone else.”   
  
It seemed like the silence in the room stretched out for an eternity until finally the girl before him gave him a tiny smile and nodded. A collective sigh seemed to ring from the servants present and they went back to bustling about, but their movements were now lively and spirited as opposed to the cautious way they had been acting before.   
  
Viktor turned back to his chair, using a hand to shake out his ornate black velvet cloak before he sat. It was not necessarily cold in the room and the cloak was not one he had chosen for warmth, but it was beautiful and stately and Viktor had made a point to dress in the finest materials and latest fashions. He enjoyed the way the plush fur lining looked surrounding his broad shoulders, making him feel stately. It was an armor of sorts.   
  
“You are too kind, Prince Viktor,” Chris said, giving him a wry grin. Chris knew that Viktor had no patience for alphan politics, that he preferred to reward and respect based on merit and character, rather than gender. “It’s good to see the throne has not changed you.”   
  
“Tch.” Yuri let out with a huff, eyeing Viktor wearily from where he sat, the ornate chair swallowing his brother’s slender frame.   
  
The boy clearly didn’t understand or bother himself with learning the complexities of the court dynamics, or perhaps he had never needed to pay attention before. It was a startling difference to how Viktor had been at that age, restless and eager to get out and make a new life. Yuri was petulant and selfish, exhibiting none of the traits of a just leader. The thought troubled the alpha, who had spent so much of his time trying to undo the harm that others of his kind had inflicted on betas and omegas.   
  
“Chew with your mouth closed,” Viktor chided as he sank down into the chair. “There’s no need for you to eat like an animal.”   
  
Yuri practically growled at him, making Chris chuckle again. His brother’s behavior was surprising, given that no omega had ever shown this much aggression without real provocation. Most omegas would prefer to yield than give in to violence, or they were like Chris, who used his other assets to get what he wanted.   
  
It made sense, though, when Viktor thought of the years the young omega had spent training as an alpha of the royal bloodline. Years being groomed mercilessly to take the throne. Those habits would surely die hard.   
  
Good thing Viktor had time.   
  
When Yuri ignored his command and continued to scarf down food at an alarming rate, Viktor’s silver brows knit together and he reached out a hand to smack away the roll that was on its way to Yuri’s mouth.   
  
“Have you no control, brother?” he asked, his voice was deceptively calm, but carried with it an icy edge that rang with authority. “Who attending the feast would want to dine with you if you continue on like a ravenous beast just released from its cage?”   
  
Yuri shot him a furious glare but Viktor was ready for it, his face a smooth mask of indifference. He knew the best way to deflect the blonde’s anger was to ignore, to show no outward reaction other than an aloof smile and a piercing blue gaze.   
  
“What do you care?” Yuri asked indignantly. “Why give them hope for anything more in this life when they’re just omegas?”   
  
His tone was bitter and stale, his tiny frame practically vibrating with anger. Viktor smiled gently then, his fingers twirling around a lock of long, silver hair. His mane was kept back from his eyes by an intricate golden circlet that signified his rank, a large amethyst in the center.   
  
So Yuri was lashing out because he had yet to cope with his own identity. At least this he could deal with.   
  
“omegas like you?” he replied, uncaring if he struck a nerve.   
  
“Moron!” Yuri yelled back at him. “Don’t call me that!”   
  
Viktor’s nostrils flared in anger and his eyes narrowed. He could feel the beast within him rising to the surface, his alpha nature begging him to put this omega in his place.   
  
Chris cleared his throat. “What archaic thinking,” he said, turning to Viktor while completely ignoring Yuri. “You would think that nobles here would act with some sense of decorum, but I feel as though we’re in a barn full of simpletons.”   
  
Viktor let out a musical laugh that echoed around the chamber, several of the servants smiling in response, although none brave enough yet to chuckle along.   
  
His uncle cleared his throat from somewhere behind them.   
  
“Vitya now is not the time for discipline lessons. The feast is only two days away and we need to finalize the preparations before the first of the lords are upon us.”   
  
Viktor looked to Yakov, knowing he was right. He had always been the voice of reason, the beta providing a stable perspective in the midst of so many dominating alphas. It would be good to heed his advice and keep him close as the nobles began to arrive.   
  
And besides, Viktor genuinely enjoyed the old man’s company.   
  
“Alright,” he agreed, bringing a piece of fine cheese to his mouth.   
  
Eventually, he would need to have a serious conversation with his brother about the future. About their country. About them. But today was not that day. Still, he was happy to have Chris there to at least help break some of Yuri’s backwards ideals of how omegas should behave. He should ask him later to keep an eye on the young tiger.   
  
“Let’s get these preparations finished so that we can discuss our strategy for entertaining the seven lords,” Yakov said, pulling him back to the moment.   
  
The gruff beta made his way over to the table and pulled out a chair before sitting down and joining them. He was dressed far more simply than the others, but carried himself with dignity, embodying a once-great warrior who had wizened with age. Viktors eyes drifted down to the exposed mate mark on Yakov’s neck. He'd never marked anyone or been marked. He’d always felt those red scars looked a bit savage.   
  
“The first to arrive will be Georgi, Mila, and Emil, who rule three provinces that make up our northern border. They are each formidable in their own right, but I don’t believe we will see them challenge for the throne. They were far enough away to not have much contact with the others over the years, and have prospered from the establishment of your trade routes, which I’m sure they are grateful for. As long as the feast is a success and they formally give their backing, they can be your first allies”   
  
“Hmmm,” Viktor hummed thoughtfully. He remembered Georgi from his childhood and knew that the man had a taste for the finer things.   
  
Throughout his years, one of the most important things that Viktor learned was how to build a relationship. It was often overlooked by alphas, who spent their time fighting and feuding. He had done his fair share of combat, as it was sometimes unavoidable, but the great secret to his success and wealth was his ability to turn anyone into a friend.   
  
“I have already made arrangements for this feast to especially pleasing. There will be entertainers and musicians and bards. We will open the cellars and serve the best dishes. It will be more than they are expecting, more than anything they could possibly be imagining.”   
  
“More?” Yakov asked skeptically, his bushy brows scrunching together to merge into one.   
  
“Yes,” Viktor nodded in affirmation, his eyes sparkling as his vision for the grand event unfurled in his mind’s eye. “The drink will pour freely and we will show them just how good things can be when they are considered friends of the throne.”   
  
“But why go through all the trouble when you could just put them in their place?” Yuri asked, stabbing at the remainder of his duck with his knife before bringing it to his mouth and tearing off a piece.   
  
Viktor frowned at him, motioning for a servant to take his brother’s plate away, lest he continue to eat like he was at a trough.   
  
“Why?” Viktor repeated, a silver brow arched in challenge. “Because fostering loyalty in someone’s heart will last much longer than fostering it with your sword.”   
  
And with that, he vowed he would teach Yuri his first lesson about what it truly meant to be an “alpha,” even if life dealt another hand to the young omega.   
  
In the days that followed, Viktor met with Yakov and made the final arrangements for the feast. He and Chris had gone over other preparations, including Viktor’s carefully planned outfit. He also made sure that Yuri would look somewhat presentable, warning the teen to be on his best behavior. The omega was a spitfire, and Viktor would have to keep an eye on him to be sure he didn’t insult any of the nobles present.   
  
Chris and his group of high-ranking officers were charged with making sure there was an appropriate amount of security for the event, and they worked with the palace staff to arrange appropriate lodging and meals for the visitors. The lords would be given spacious suites within the palace, which had been built to accommodate all seven liege lords as well as the royal family, in the event of a siege. Their guests would no doubt be bringing their own guards, servants, and mates, who would all need to be housed.   
  
The head palace housekeeper was Yakov’s mate Lilia, an alpha who had been appointed for her diligence and skill. She ran a tight ship, overseeing all of the servants, and often times correcting even the most fearsome of the alphas who served on the palace guard. Under her supervision, the entire process was regimented and executed, but what Viktor liked the most about Lilia was her appreciation of beauty. He had explained to her his design for the feast and she had wasted no time crafting exceptional decorations that had transformed the castle into a festive wonderland, the royal purple colors of the Nikiforov line brightening the cold stone walls.   
  
Viktor smiled as he watched the decorations go up, thinking that this was one way an alpha could assert their dominance without resorting to boorish brutality.   
  
Before he knew it, the arrival of the first three lords was upon them. He had joined a small greeting party at the shore, welcoming them briefly before they were shown their quarters. Their exchange had been cordial, although Georgi was moody as he remembered. Luckily they chatted amicably about a common interest in a particular coastal town they had each visited on separate voyages.   
  
Viktor had instructed Yakov to give them a tour of the grounds after they were settled and Viktor and Chris joined them for a midday meal that was cooked by the finest chefs in the city. Afterward, they took their horses and a small band of guards for a ride along the coast that was quite enjoyable.   
  
Mila was sweet and sassy, and Viktor found himself warming to her almost instantly. Emil was also a light-hearted sort, and he was surprised that four alphas could spend so much time together without butting heads.   
  
One detail that did not escape his attention was the way the other alphas treated their subordinates. They were all required to stay at least ten paces behind the nobles, which was an archaic custom meant to show respect while at court. Viktor thought they were going to faint when Chris—an omega and therefore someone beneath them on the social hierarchy—walked right up to him to give him a progress report on the preparations.   
  
With his easy smile and honeyed voice, Chris was an excellent ambassador of sorts for Viktor, and he entrusted the man with getting a feel for the city.   
  
“Thank you,” Viktor said, looking over at where his friend stood next to him, peridot eyes alight with the easy joy that Chris always seemed to emit.   
  
“Don’t go thanking me just yet, alpha prince,” he responded smoothly.   
  
“I know we need to get the support of as many of these lords before my coronation, and we cannot rest until it has passed, but I don’t think I could have done any of this without you. You are a true friend.”   
  
Chris drew his horse to a stop and when Viktor turned back to look at him, it seemed like the omega was trying not to cry. Viktor threw him a grin before they continued down their path back to the castle.   
  
“There’s just one more thing I need to do before tomorrow,” Viktor said, looking back to capture Chris’ eyes. “Will you help me?”   
  
“Of course,” Chris replied easily.   
  
He had spoken to Chris about his run-in with the omega who happened to be one of the entertainers for the feast. Usually, they shared details about their mating habits, when they would recount tales of their epic conquests over cask after cask of wine. But sometimes, the two relied on each other for advice, bouncing ideas about potential mates, and supporting each other through their cycles. They had never mated, despite both being attractive and unattached, and they were each perfectly content to keep it that way.   
  
“It’s unlike you to show such interest or be so protective of an omega you’re after,” Chris remarked casually, watching Viktor’s response to his observation.   
  
“I know,” he replied, his blue eyes determined as the crossed beneath the outer wall, and made their way into the city.   
  
Yakov took the others back to the palace while he and Chris took a different route, dismissing their guards and drawing their hoods up to remain inconspicuous.   
  
The tavern was exactly as it had been the first night Viktor arrived, and the moment he crossed the threshold he knew. Knew, that his omega was there. 

He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment he started thinking of the dark-haired beauty as _his_ , but ever since the thought popped into his head, he had been unable to banish it.  
  
All the other people in the room, all their scents mingling together and creating a mashed-up into a distorted cloud of pheromones, and yet his omega’s rose deliciously above all others, filling his nose and making his mouth water.  
  
He stopped in his tracks, breathing in the sweet aroma, and Chris, who entered in behind him, bumped into his back.  
  
“Hey,” he chided, nudging Viktor with his shoulder. “Have you changed your mind?”  
  
“No,” he replied firmly. “I want to see him before this circus begins.”  
  
Viktor made his way through the crowd, following the scent that reminded him of the sea. He could tell that the omega was nearing heat and it sent blood rushing to his groin, arousal zipping through his veins. He tried to reign it in but knew it was too late when the scent of his own desire reached his nose.  
  
He stopped when he spotted the dark-haired man, who had his back to Viktor. He was sitting with a group of people, some of whom he thought he might remember from the other night. They were discussing their upcoming performance, talking about the music and their routine when one of them looked up and spotted him.  
  
“Excuse me,” Viktor said smoothly, waiting for the other man to turn around.  
  
When he did, Viktor felt a rush of adrenaline striking his chest. The omega was just as beautiful as he remembered, with rich mahogany eyes and a heart-shaped face. Those soft lips were popped open in surprise and Viktor had to keep from running his thumb along that supple skin.  
  
“Hello,” he said, eyes laser-focused on the omega’s face. “My name is Prince Viktor Nikiforov. I believe we met the other night.”  
  
He gave his most charming smile and found satisfaction when the omega’s eyes widened in response.  
  
“Y-Yuuri,” he stammered out, a bright red flush covering his cheekbones. “My name is Yuuri.”  
  
“Yuuri,” the alpha repeated, trying to hide his surprise that the man shared his brother’s name. “It is a pleasure to officially meet you.”  
  
Viktor held out his hand, and when the omega’s slid into his grasp, a shot of electricity coursed through him. He noticed that the people at the table had the courtesy to start conversations among themselves and Chris had inserted himself in the group, chatting amicably with Yuuri’s friends so Viktor could have a moment alone.  
  
“Is there something I can do for you, y-your highness?” the omega asked sheepishly, eyes cast down at the hands wringing in his lap.  
  
Viktor was a bit taken aback, given the way this omega had approached him before, but he was so mesmerized by the flush dappled against his flawless skin, his dark hair falling across his forehead.  
  
Before he could stop himself, Viktor was reaching out, running his pale fingers through that hair and brushing it off of the omega’s face.  
  
“I wanted to see if you were as incredible in real life as you have been all week in my mind,” Viktor said, voice confident, smile beguiling.  
  
Yuuri thought he was going to faint.  
  
But then the alpha was pulling back, lips still curved into a feline grin.  
  
“I’m glad to see that you are even more beautiful than I remembered. I’m greatly looking forward to your performance tomorrow night,” he said the last part in a low, husky voice that Yuuri knew only he could hear.  
  
It was intoxicating. It was nerve-wracking. It was exhilarating.  
  
Lust was potent in this alpha’s scent and never before had Yuuri been so tempted. He felt his own scent rise in response, his thighs aching as need pooled unbidden and unexpected deep in his gut. The sensation was so incredible and so foreign that he let out a small gasp of surprise.  
  
“Maybe when the festivities conclude I can give you a personal tour of the palace,” the prince drawled, his smooth voice wrapping around Yuuri like a caress, making the hair on his arms stand up.  
  
“T-thank you,” Yuuri replied, unable to tear his gaze away from the alpha’s hypnotic stare.  
  
He had been so hammered the last time they met that his image of the silver-haired stranger was fuzzy. But facing him sober was startling. He was so handsome that it was practically blinding. He could catch his friends staring out of the corner of his eye, and he couldn’t blame them in the least. And that this handsome alpha, who was a fucking prince no less, would want Yuuri...  
  
The alpha grabbed his hand, fingers brushing along the gland in Yuuri’s wrist, subtly releasing more of his scent into the air. Those blue eyes were dilated with but more than that, they conveyed a genuine awe with the omega. Yuuri had never felt so desirable in his life.  
  
Viktor’s companion, an omega who appeared to be one of his guards or high-ranking officials, came up to his side.  
  
“Prince Viktor,” he said, drawing the alpha’s attention. “We need to head back before your absence from the palace is discovered.”  
  
“Of course,” Viktor responded in a calm voice, even though his mouth dipped down in the corners.  
  
His eyes darted back to Yuuri’s, sharp and beckoning.  
  
“Until tomorrow, Yuuri,” the alpha murmured, kissing the back of Yuuri’s hand before he turned to leave.  
  
“Wait!” Yuuri shouted, grabbing the prince’s arm.  
  
When the alpha’s cobalt gaze bore into him, Yuuri wanted to flinch away, but then Viktor’s scent was surrounding him, urging him on.  
  
“During tomorrow’s performance...don’t take your eyes off me.”  
  
It wasn’t a shout, but his pledge rang with determination, a spark ringing his copper stare. The alpha stepped into Yuuri’s space, bringing his body flush against the smaller man’s. He lifted a wrist and dragged it slowly, gently across one of the scent glands at Yuuri’s throat, marking him in a deliberate, primal way.  
  
Then the prince smirked and gave him a wink before he turned to leave.  
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he called back over his shoulder.  
  
Wouldn’t dream of it.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuuri tried to prepare himself.  
  
He had meditated and practiced and fretted and puked and stretched and done literally everything that he could possibly think of to prepare himself for this moment.  
  
Yet, when he first set foot inside the walls surrounding the Castle of Ilych, he felt like he was transported to an entirely different world. The place was massive, that was certain, but it was also grand in a way he wasn't expecting. The center of the palace had a colossal tower capped with an impressive gold dome, and it was possibly the single most awesome thing Yuuri had seen in his life.  
  
Even though he had traveled with the troupe of dancers for the past two years and visited some incredible places, this was by far the most prestigious opportunity Lord Celestino had lined up for them.   
  
They arrived before the guests, while servants everywhere seemed to be working double-time to finish all of the preparations. They passed through the castle’s glorious entryway, which boasted massive marble pillars that stretched up three floors. There were gold and purple fabrics spun artfully down the white columns, with large sprays of flowers between each one.  
  
Upon making it inside, they passed by the great hall, where they would be performing in a short time. Phichit tugged on his hand, pointing to huge bronze fire pits that had been erected in each corner of the room for warmth. There was a beautifully decorated head table at the far end of the room, with several ornate gold chairs facing the crowd, purple ribbons and flowers flowing across the entire scene.  
  
Yuuri gulped as an image flashed in his mind of the handsome alpha prince who would soon be occupying one of those chairs. That same prince who would be watching him as he danced. He could hardly believe Viktor had come to the Boar last night. Had actively pursued him. He’d never experienced the attentions of someone who he shared an attraction to. It made his heart pound furiously, his stomach fluttering with excited nerves. Yuuri flushed as he realized he was experiencing a type of joy he'd never known before.  
  
“Yuuri!” Phichit called over to him, motioning the dazed omega to follow the troupe down a side hallway that was used for staff.  
  
They passed serving omegas whose bodies were painted entirely in gold, with matching fabric draped across their well-toned bodies. He was put at ease as he watched their banter back and forth as they got ready. Obviously, omegas in this castle were treated well if they laughed and smiled like this.  
  
Suddenly, a blur of white and black fur darted down the stone corridor, knocking several servants off balance. Yuuri jumped out of the way, staring after the animal in amazement. Was that a tiger?  
  
“POLINA!” a booming shout came from the end of the hall.  
  
Yuuri turned to see a blonde teenager barrelling down the hall in pursuit of the tiger. The young man was headed right toward him and Yuuri knew he was not going to be able to move in time. Their shoulders collided and they both tumbled to the ground.  
  
“Moron!” the blonde screamed as he scrambled to his feet, throwing Yuuri a hard frown before renewing his chase of the wild beast.  
  
The teen was an omega, that much Yuuri could glean off of his scent, although he’d never met one with such a volatile temperament before.  
  
A nearby servant came to his aid, helping Yuuri get back on his feet.  
  
“So sorry about that!” he said, gazing after the rampant teen. “That is our young prince Yuri. He’s having a challenging time right now and can be a bit...moody.”  
  
“An omegan prince?” Yuuri asked, still reeling over the fact that the other man shared his name. “Prince Viktor’s brother?”  
  
The servant smiled at his response.  
  
“Yes,” he whispered as they watched Prince Yuri round the corner. “In fact, the older of the brothers only returned when Prince Yuri presented as omega, making it impossible for him to inherit the throne.”  
  
Yuuri thanked him for his helo and hurried along to catch up with the rest of the group, the new information turning in his mind.  
  
The troupe was led to a green room of sorts—nothing fancy, but a space where they could get dressed, warm up, and prepare for their time to shine.  
  
“Are you thinking about him?” Sara asked, coming to sit next to Yuuri as he tied the leather strings that kept on the beautiful golden sandals that were part of his new costume.  
  
Yuuri didn’t need to ask who she meant. They had all seen him talking to Viktor the night before, something that was so uncharacteristic for him they all stopped to stare as if they were seeing a unicorn.  
  
“Yes,” he mumbled softly. “I’ve never been attracted to an alpha before. I’m a little nervous about the whole thing.”  
  
“What?!” Sara shrieked. “You’ve never mated before?”  
  
Yuuri flushed and stuttered, “N-no...well I never...it’s just…”  
  
He let out a resigned sigh and Sara laughed delicately, her hand coming to rest on Yuuri’s shoulder.  
  
“It’s okay that you’re a late bloomer, Yuuri,” she said with a smile.  
  
Despite the fact that Yuuri was never very open about his heats with anyone other than Phichit, who was his closest friend, Sara had been kind to him in the time they had been dancing together, and Yuuri needed all of the help he could get when it came to the silver-haired prince.  
  
“At first, I thought I would want a mate, but I never really found anyone I was comfortable with,” he said in a small voice.  
  
Sara sat down next to him as the others moved around them, putting the finishing touches on their costumes and stretching their muscles.  
  
“I didn’t mate for the first time until a couple of years ago,” she admitted, “and even then, it was with a beta who I’d known for a while. I understand how intimidating it can be.”  
  
Her words were reassuring, and Yuuri found it a little bit easier to breathe. It wasn’t that he was nervous about this alpha, more like he was wary of his unpredictable response.  
  
Afraid that his body and his hormones would betray him.  
  
“I haven’t ever reacted this way to one before. I want him. I don’t know what will happen if I see him tonight.”  
  
“Maybe you should just try talking to him first. Get to know him a little. See if he’s the nice sort of prince.”  
  
Sara tried lightening the mood, but it went right over Yuuri’s head.  
  
“But what if I’m dancing?”  
  
“Yuuri,” she said, resting a hand on his knee. “You are overthinking this. Just relax. You are a beautiful dancer. Besides, we all saw how he was practically fawning over you last night. I think you’re worrying way too much and should be focused on working what you’ve got.”  
  
She said the last part with a wink and Yuuri felt himself smiling.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“You may also come to find that having someone to share your heat with can be incredibly enjoyable.”  
  
“Really?” he asked with one brow raised, voice skeptical.  
  
“Well, yeah. Normally during a heat, I feel miserable. My skin feels like it's too hot, I'm aching all over, and I can hardly concentrate. But when you mate, especially if it's with an alpha, your body will release hormones that abate a lot of those symptoms.”  
  
Yuuri had heard about this but was having trouble believing that there was relief to be found for his unpleasant heats.  
  
“They also end way sooner if you mate. Mine used to be a week long if I went unmated. But usually after a day or so in bed with a willing partner, your body is sated and your heat goes away.”  
  
That actually sounded… pretty good.  
  
As Yuuri stretched out his muscles, he thought of the alpha’s crisp, blue gaze and what it would be like to have that gaze roving over his body during a heat. It sent a shockwave of lust careening through him and he almost put his costume on backward as a result.  
  
Time sped up then, as they finished getting ready and lined up to go out for their performance. There were several musical numbers throughout and each one had a different routine. Some routines were grand and involved all of the dancers, while others were poetic duos. Mickey and Sara performed an aerial number on impressive black silks that hung from the mezzanine balcony surrounding the great hall.  
  
Yuuri would be performing in the group opening number, and then later on with his own solo performance.  
  
Celestino called them all together just before they left the staging area to go out for their debut. The thrumming notes of the musicians could be heard filtering down the stone passage that separated them from the grand hall, along with the noises of guests chatting, servants bustling, and the general sounds of celebration.  
  
“Now,” Celestino said as they huddled around, jugglers and other entertainers scooching past them and rushing about. “This is something that you’ve been practicing for. Something you’ve worked for over the past two years. I want you to go out there confident, beautiful, and daring.”  
  
They buzzed with excitement, nodding and grinning and patting each other on the back as they made their way to the great hall. Celestino went out first to introduce himself to the head table and announce their performance, but from where they were staged, they could only make out bits and pieces of what was said.  
  
Suddenly the musicians began playing the opening notes for their fast-paced group number and they were in motion, interspersing themselves among the crowd.  
  
Yuuri was with Phichit, positioned near the far corner of the room, opposite of the head table where Viktor sat surrounded by other nobles. There were other guests all around them, watching them expectantly as they began to move.  
  
The choreography was complicated, but Yuuri was skilled and had put in the work to perfect each movement, allowing his emotions to follow the rhythm of the song as he spun across the stone floor.  
  
There were oohs and ahhs coming from the crowd, their attention thoroughly engulfed by their intricate movements and dazzling costumes. Yuuri felt his tension melt away as the familiar steps took over, his body rolling and twirling in time with Phichit and the other dancers. As the dancers moved, they changed positions, traveling across the room until he was situated right next to the head table.  
  
Desire rippled through him as Viktor’s familiar scent swept beneath his nostrils. He wasn’t sure if everyone surrounding them could pick out that aroma so well, or if the pheromones were simply more potent to him. Twice, he was able to look in Viktor’s direction and each time, that aqua stare was laser-focused on him. It sent shivers up Yuuri’s spine.  
  
Sooner than he expected, the music was drawing to a close and he was making his way back to the staging area as the individual performances began.  
  
Yuuri bent over, hands gripping his knees as he tried to regain his breath. There was a sudden clatter at the other end of the hall, far enough away that the crowd was unnoticing, but the other dancers rushed over to see what happened.  
  
“Dammit!” Mickey was on the ground, hands gripping his lower leg.  
  
He had collided with a servant carrying a tray full of mugs of ale. The metal goblets and their contents went clattering to the floor along with Mickey and the servant.  
  
“I-I’m so sorry, sir!” the startled young servant said, hopping to their feet and extending a hand to help Mickey.  
  
“My ankle!” he shouted.  
  
Sara was at his side, talking to him in a voice so low that Yuuri couldn’t make out what she was saying. Mickey was shaking his head at her, face twisted in pain.  
  
“What’s going on?” Celestino demanded.  
  
One of the other dancers had gone to get him when the commotion started.  
  
“Mickey’s hurt,” Sara said. “He can’t do the aerial number.”  
  
“But that’s a key part of the show!” Celestino barked, face turning beet red as his brows furrowed in frustration.  
  
“Yuuri can do the silks, my lord,” Sara said.  
  
Yuuri froze where he stood. It was true, he could technically use the silks, but he hadn’t performed with them in some time. And never for a crowd this large.  
  
“Do you know the routine?” Celestino asked.  
  
“Y-yes,” Yuuri stammered out, glancing at Sara who nodded in reassurance. “But I don’t think--”  
  
“You’re the only one with the stamina to perform the silks and your solo,” the older beta said bluntly, giving Yuuri little choice in the matter.  
  
Phichit came up beside them, standing next to Celestino.  
  
“Yuuri, you need to match Sara for the duet. You can wear my red costume from a few shows ago. I put it in the satchel with my boots.”  
  
Yuuri looked at his friend dazedly, brain trying to catch up with what was happening. Apparently, he was taking Mickey’s place in his aerial duet with Sara. That he’d never practiced before, other than when he had helped Sara in their downtime.  
  
He gulped.  
  
The silks were situated right in front of the head table. He would essentially be performing for the prince and his most esteemed guests.  
  
Throwing up now wouldn’t do any good, so Yuuri swallowed his fears and followed Phichit to get changed. He was grateful that the costume would help him blend into the performance, but Phichit was a bit smaller than Yuuri was, so the scarlet fabric clung to him, leaving nothing to the imagination.  
  
The one-piece outfit boasted long sleeves with small slits at the end that slipped over his middle fingers. The red material was accentuated with black and silver thread. It came up high around his neck, but the back was open, exposing lines of lean muscle.  
  
“Yuuri!” Sara exclaimed when she found him, pulling him toward the stairwell that would spit them out on the mezzanine. “You look amazing!”  
  
“I do?” he asked, ears ringing as the audience below them applauded the dancers who had just finished their number.   
  
“Yes! This is gonna be great! Just like we practiced.”  
  
He nodded once with determination, making his way to the other side of the hall where the silk that mirrored Sara’s was set up. The balcony was wide, supported by pillars that were placed around the hall. The head table sat behind the pillars at the long end of the hall, where the silks had been set up.  
  
The music started and he took a deep breath and went over the edge, flowing into the dance with the same fluidity he had every time he moved.  
  
His eyes darted around as he flipped and spun, finally meeting a pair of crystal blue that were locked onto him. Like a magnetic pull, Viktor held his gaze and he melted beneath it, heat coursing through him. He let the tingling sensation running through his veins fuel his performance, hips rolling and legs spreading as he thought of nothing other than the alpha prince.  
  
This song had a sensuous beat, and as he mimicked Sara’s moves from across the way, he lost himself to the pulsing rhythm, arms gripping to the silks. He closed his eyes, but could still feel the gaze of the powerful alpha on him, and it only spurred him on, his body striking poses, highlighting his flexibility and strength as he spun in time with his partner.  
  
When they went into their final pose, which was a full split, Yuuri felt amazing, his body thrumming with anticipation. The crowd erupted and he gracefully lowered himself to the floor so that he could bow.  
  
He walked across the stone floor, eyes from the crowd plastered on him. As he passed the head table, he glanced beneath his lashes to the handsome silver-haired alpha that seemed to possess his every waking thought.  
  
Viktor’s expression took his breath away. His eyes were half-lidded, cheeks flushed. As Yuuri looked at that mouth and Viktor’s tongue darted out to stroke his lower lip. Yuuri had to keep himself from physically shuttering.  
  
He let Sara pull him from the great hall, the music for the next song already underway. Adrenaline was still riding high in his system as he ran to get changed into the navy costume that so many careful hands had rushed to finish for this one night.  
  
His solo performance was different from the exciting number with aerial stunts. This one was more about emotion, about his loneliness as he was away from his family, about his connection to dance as a way for him to express himself.  
  
The costume, in turn, was softer, more delicate than the previous one that had hugged his every curve. This ensemble flowed, draping across his skin and tapering at his waist. It had colorful beads sewn into the needlework by the collar, which dipped in a v down his chest.  
  
Phichit came up to him, sweat dripping from his brow, having just finished his own solo routine. He looked charming and trim in his orange costume, which was made of fabric feathers, layered on top of each other in an artful pattern.  
  
“The crowd is incredible!” he exclaimed, beaming at Yuuri. “Can you believe we’re performing for the next king?”  
  
He said the last part with a wry grin, obviously trying to get a rise out of his fellow omega.  
  
Yuuri cocked his head as if to say, _Really? We’re going there?_  
  
“I’m just trying to get through my last number.”  
  
“Oh!” Phichit perked up. “I forgot! Yes! Go get ‘em!”  
  
His friend ushered him down the hall, back to where the others were huddled, watching from the shadow of the hallway as their comrades performed and the illustrious nobles in attendance ate.  
  
Servants were bringing the guests course after course of luxurious food, exotic delicacies that Yuuri had only ever heard about. He even saw something that looked like one of the special dishes from back home, which made him both homesick and hungry all at once.  
  
Eventually, the musicians finished their song and the other dancers returned. A lone stringed instrument started up a hauntingly beautiful melody and Yuuri knew it was time.  
  
The dance started out very somber, his body arcing into the melancholy tune. As he glided across the stone floor, he did his best not to stare blatantly at Viktor, who did not share his mentality. The crowd was silent, a hush falling over them as they became entranced with his movements. It made it all the more intimate when the only thing in Yuuri’s mind was the devilishly handsome alpha whose inspection made him feel exposed and vulnerable and tingly and wanton at the same time.  
  
He made it through to the second half of the song, and the music evolved into something lighthearted. The rhythm was driving and optimistic, planting beautiful seeds of hope in the audience. Yuuri’s movements quickened, his feet moving impossibly fast as he lept across the open space, his frame curling nimbly with each point of his toe, each flourish of his hands.  
  
The music came to a climax and Yuuri poured his heart into his performance, entering into a complicated step sequence that was his signature forte.  
  
The audience was silent as the final notes of the tune died away and he struck his final pose, one hand outstretched, the other crossing his heart.  
  
He closed his eyes as he finished the dance, and when he opened them again, he was surprised to find his outstretched hand pointed directly at the alpha who had been staring him down all night.  
  
He flushed, and ducked his head, immediately scurrying to the back hallway where he could hide from the eyes of the entire court.  
  
His friends greeted him with applause when he returned, some of them with watery eyes as they remarked on how beautiful his performance had been.  
  
He muttered his thanks, making his way back to their dressing room to decompress.  
  
Yuuri was staring at his feet as he made his way along the corridor. He noticed servants and other entertainers walking past him, sometimes talking amongst themselves, but he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to pay much attention, his mind still attempting to process everything that had just unfolded.  
  
Yuuri looked up, only to realize that he wandered off and was lost in the endless maze of the castle. The hallways all looked similar, and he couldn’t tell which way to go.  
  
“That was quite a performance,” came a honeyed voice from behind him.  
  
Yuuri turned and his breath caught in his throat. The glowing flames of the sconces on the castle walls illuminated Viktor’s formidable frame. He was dressed in a magnificent, glimmering cloak with a hood, the entire cream-colored piece covered with sparkling gems. The cloak tied at the neck with a thick, red ribbon.  
  
Beneath the grandiose garment was a billowing white shirt and dark burgundy leggings, kept in place with a ruby-encrusted belt. He looked regal and handsome and powerful, Yuuri thought, watching the alpha walk closer.  
  
"W-what are you doing?" Yuuri asked, a tremor rippling through his voice as Viktor took a step toward him, sliding a long-fingered hand across the exposed skin of Yuuri’s chest.  
  
Goosebumps broke out on his skin beneath the cool metal of Viktor’s rings.  
  
The alpha’s scent rose up like a thick fog, surrounding Yuuri like a physical caress. He stared for several moments into the prince’s deep, blue gaze, taking in the flush that crossed his high cheekbones and the muscle tensing along his jaw.  
  
"I..just can't seem to stay away from you," he replied, smile wide. Eyes bright.  
  
Yuuri felt a tingling deep in the pit of his stomach. He was trying to keep a clear head, to be careful in this unexplored terrain. He was all too familiar with the callous desires of the court and had never allowed himself to be pulled into an entanglement in all the years he had been dancing.  
  
But this felt different. He wanted this. He couldn't help but lean into the alpha’s outstretched palm as it caressed his cheek.  
  
"You are enchanting," he whispered, his thick accent sending a thrill up Yuuri's spine.  
  
Yuuri put his hand on top of Viktor's.  
  
"I...I need to get back."  
  
Viktor felt the omega’s heart fluttering wildly beneath his palm, the scent of submission and arousal pooling around him, making his eyes burn with need. He pushed the smaller man back until he was pressed firmly against the stone wall.  
  
"You have a heat coming up soon."  
  
It wasn’t a question. Viktor could very well smell the omega’s upcoming cycle. There was no edge to his tone, his face gentle and relaxed.  
  
Yuuri stammered, trying to formulate a response. He could feel his palms begin to sweat as his heart thundered painfully against his chest.  
  
"Let me share it with you,” the alpha whispered, voice low in the silence of the hallway.  
  
Yuuri felt his cheeks grow warm and his mouth went completely dry. Never in his life had he wanted something so badly. Viktor made out the longing in those dark eyes before they fluttered closed and the omega leaned in, softly pressing his mouth against Viktor’s parted lips.  
  
It was achingly sweet, and for Viktor, who normally only had a mild emotional response to his mating partners, the sudden connection pierced him to his core. It was as if the energy that had been anchoring him to Earth all of these years had suddenly shifted, the threads connecting him to his family, his duty, the sea itself, all realigning with this magnificent creature whose breath was mingling with his own.  
  
Yuuri pulled back, looking up at Viktor through a smoky gaze, his dewy mouth open slightly as his breath came in shallow pants.  
  
He was stunning.  
  
“Well?” Viktor asked. “Let me arrange for you and your dancers to stay here, in the castle. Then you will be close by.”  
  
He trailed his fingers along the velvety skin of Yuuri’s cheek. Desire hung heavy around them, their pheromones going wild as their scents mingled sweetly.  
  
“Let me take care of you." His voice was laced with a sincerity that made something shift behind that doe-eyed gaze.  
  
“O-okay,” the omega whispered, and Viktor felt a rush of joy flood his system.  
  
“Really?” he asked, voice animated, a heart-shaped smile on his lips.  
  
Yuuri nodded in response before he took a step backward.  
  
“I need to be heading back,” he said, eyes dropping to the floor.  
  
Viktor reached a finger beneath his chin, tipping the omega’s head back so that he might catch that burning chestnut stare.  
  
“Until next time,” the alpha whispered, claiming Yuuri’s mouth in a brief but forceful kiss.  
  
When he released him, the omega stumbled away, scrambling back the way he came, much the same way he had after his last performance.  
  
Viktor was deep in thought as he watched the dancer’s retreating figure, a hand curled around his chin. He had been transfixed by the omega’s beautiful body as it moved and swayed with the music, but more than that, he was intrigued by the innocent passion he had seen in those rich, brown eyes.  
  
Viktor couldn't quite put a finger on how or why this affected him so thoroughly but he hadn't felt a swell of happiness or excitement like this in too many months to count.  
  
He needed to notify Chris and have him set the dance troupe up with rooms in the palace. It wasn’t unheard of to have popular entertainers stay in the castle during extensive festivities, but Viktor still wanted to be careful.  
  
Normally, he would be thinking about his reputation and the worst case scenarios of how the other nobles could possibly use it against him if they found out about this relationship. But when he thought of Yuuri, he thought only of protecting him from the callous nature of the ruling class. He didn’t want their unfit eyes trailing over his omega. Breathing in that intoxicating scent.  
  
The thought of them so close to Yuuri had Viktor growling and when he realized what he was doing, he shook his head, as if to rid himself from his inner alpha’s hold.   
  
Nothing, though, could keep him from thinking about the pleasure to come. The omega was gorgeous and would be in heat very soon. He would start taking the special tea he had learned about on his travels that made it impossible to cause pregnancy while mating. Something he had found incredibly useful throughout the years.  
  
He was suddenly very much at peace with this new chapter of his life, his homecoming something that no longer seemed like a lonely imprisonment.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Jean-Jacques was staring out across the rolling hills that surrounded his impressive estate. The structure was a fortress, an ancient castle that had been in disrepair when he found it. But he came to these lands and had revitalized them. He stood proudly upon a castle wall that he himself helped build.   
  
“My lord,” one of his servants stammered out. The beta was kneeling before him when JJ turned around, his eyes hard and a sneer of a grin stretched across his lips.   
  
“What,” he snapped with a growl low in his throat.   
  
The other man practically whimpered and JJ loved that he could exert his domination over those who were lucky enough to serve him.   
  
“Word has come that Prince Viktor is returned,” the beta muttered, eyes glued to the ground.   
  
JJ smiled, which took the messenger by surprise.   
  
“You are pleased, my lord?” he asked tentatively.   
  
“Yes,” the alpha responded, eyes narrowing as a feral smile spread across his mouth. “It means that the time has finally come to set things in motion.”   
  
The beta didn’t know what the alpha was referring to, but he did know that when the young lord had his mind set on something, he was relentless in his pursuit.   
  
“Ready my horse,” JJ said curtly, turning to head back indoors. “There are arrangements I need to make before I leave for Ilych.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, Yuuri's heat finally starts and this fic earns its Explicit rating. I'll also be introducing a familiar face that might be able to tame our wee beasty prince...
> 
> And I hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end. JJ's a-coming!
> 
> Check out my [Tumblr](https://nihilistshiro.tumblr.com/) for more ramblings and writings ;)


	3. Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: this chapter is 44% smut.

When the alpha prince asked to take care of Yuuri, he wasn’t sure what to expect. But in the days that followed the palace performance, he learned a lot about Viktor’s generous nature.  
  
After all, the omega had never mated before and hadn't spent enough time around mated pairs to understand what exactly was supposed to happen between them.  
  
Yuuri looked dazedly around his new room, in awe of the sheer scope of Viktor’s attentions. The chamber was large, with a massive fur rug spanning the stone floor. Luxurious furnishings stood around the space and ornate tapestries done in the royal colors covered the bare walls, the purple threads woven together with shining silvers and golds.  
  
He and the others in his troupe of dancers had been moved into the elaborate accommodations in one of the main castle towers but Yuuri was given his own private chambers. The tower contained the prince’s suite of rooms and these seemed to be specifically designed for an omega to accommodate the alpha’s desires. It was all very formal, and yet the intimacy of their relationship made Yuuri feel exposed, like a spotlight had suddenly been cast upon him and he wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.  
  
His room was near the top of the tower, with the prince’s chambers directly above him and the other dancers housed in much more modest chambers below. When Celestino informed them of the move, everyone anticipated being placed in quarters with servants, as entertainers were often given, but this was an unexpected bonus. Yuuri’s room opened with a large window that looked out over the bay. There were lush furs everywhere, including the imposing feather bed that was bigger and more comfortable than anything Yuuri had previously experienced.  
  
Steaming water scented with expensive oils and trays of food arrived shortly after he'd been escorted in by an omega named Chris, who was with Prince Viktor at the Boar and seemed to act as the alpha’s right-hand man. The entire experience was a bit overwhelming.  
  
Luckily, Phichit and Sarah had stuck close by his side and were helping him adjust to his new surroundings.  
  
“Yuuri~,” Phichit cooed from where he was soaking in a warm bath, his eyes closed in sheer bliss, “I don’t know what you did to seduce the prince, but keep up the good work.”  
  
Sarah laughed from where she sat with Yuuri on the bed, picking at a tray of dried meats and fruits.  
  
“I haven’t even done a thing,” Yuuri protested, wringing his hands nervously in front of him. “Isn’t it a bit odd for him to be showering me with gifts when we haven’t even mated yet?”  
  
Sarah furrowed her brow in thought as she carefully weighed her answer, but Phichit simply chuckled.  
  
“He’s clearly infatuated with you,” his friend said, rising from the water and patting himself dry with a length of linen that had been left near the wooden tub.  
  
He moved to seat himself in front of the fireplace, which had been tended to throughout the day by friendly servants, all of whom were omegas and betas.  
  
“And besides, you’ve talked of little else since meeting him. I’ve never seen you respond to anyone with the intention of mating.”  
  
Phichit's eyes moved to perhaps the most intimate gift in the room – a dressing robe that must have belonged to the prince himself because his thick scent was dripping from the garment.  
  
Yuuri felt himself flush as he followed his friend’s gaze to where the robe sat folded on top of an ornate chest. He couldn’t deny the raw arousal that coursed through him each time he thought of Viktor and the brief kiss they’d exchanged.  
  
“I just…” he started, eyes darting away and his voice small. “I-I don’t know what to do.”  
  
This time it was Sarah who spoke up, her hand a gentle anchor on Yuuri’s shoulder.  
  
“I know it can seem frightening,” she said, repeating some of the same encouragement she had given him before, “but this prince is clearly not the type of alpha who forcefully takes what he wants. Some alphas can be incredibly thoughtful and giving, even if they are few and far between. I’ve mated with alphas before who took care of me for days after my heat, attending to my every desire.”  
  
“Yeah!” Phichit chimed in. “And the pleasure you get from an alpha’s attentions…”  
  
He trailed off, suddenly looking wistful as his gaze landed upon the orange flames.  
  
“But he’s one of the strongest alpha’s I’ve ever met,” Yuuri murmured, his low voice laced with insecurities, “and I’ve never mated before. What if—” he choked around the words caught in his throat. “What if I disappoint him? In bed?”  
  
He was so deep in thought that he jumped when they both started cackling.  
  
“Yuuri!” Phichit sang, wrapping himself in the cloth and joining them on the bed. “Have you never caught your reflection? Have you never seen yourself?”  
  
“You’re gorgeous!’ Sarah chimed it, a grin spreading wide across her angular face. “And the way you dance? You’re naturally sexy.”  
  
Yuuri stared at them in bewilderment, his face flaming at the sudden praise. Both of his friends were exceptionally handsome and the compliments they bestowed upon him made him go red with embarrassment. He was at a loss for words.  
  
“Besides,” Sarah continued, violet eyes shining warmly on him, “when your heat starts and you get a whiff of that alpha, your body will know what to do. There’s no need to worry.”  
  
Yuuri sighed, the kindness of his friends melting away some of his anxieties.  
  
“One thing, though,” Phichit said, talking around a grape he just pulled between his lips. “You need to be honest with him about never having mated before.”  
  
At this, Yuuri turned bright red and hid his face in the goose feather pillows.  
  
“I know!” Phichit said rubbing Yuuri’s back, a soft smile playing on his lips as he comforted the other omega. “I know it’s embarrassing, but trust me, it’s information that he’s going to need if you’re to have a good time.”  
  
Sarah scooted closer to where Yuuri was hiding.  
  
“He’s right. That is definitely something he needs to know. We can tell him if you like.”  
  
Yuuri shot up, a horrified mask plastered across his features.  
  
“No, no, no!” He stammered, arms waving in front of him as he imagined Phichit confronting the alpha and warning him to be gentle like a mother hen. “I’ll tell him myself,” he added softly.  
  
He was incredibly lucky to be surrounded by friends like these. There had been times in his life when he felt loneliness like a sore in his mouth, the tongue of his anxiety always fussing with it and never letting it heal.  
  
But joining this strange family of dancers who loved and supported each other had changed that. He couldn’t say that he was completely rid of panic attacks, but they’d brought him out of his shell and shown him a different way of life that he would be eternally grateful for.  
  
But still…  
  
“How do I tell him I’m a virgin?”  
  
They stayed up past the rise of a nearly full moon planning, Phichit and Sarah each role-playing the conversation with him and working out the best course of action. When they were satisfied that he was fully prepared, they ended up talking excitedly about their luxurious new surroundings and laughing at stories of their adventures.  
  
Midnight had come and gone by the time they finally returned to their own beds. As the fire slowly died, Yuuri felt his nerves begin to fray, situation after situation flashing through his mind. Despite the calm he had found earlier, his insecurities were now threatening to send him into a full-blown panic.  
  
He rose from beneath the heavy fur covering the bed and paced, throwing yet another fur off of the window and staring out into the cool night. A crisp sea breeze swept into the chamber, only to bring the scent of Viktor’s robe fresh to his nostrils.  
  
Yuuri went over to where the fine fabric laid and let his fingers trace the delicate embroidery that decorated it. At a loss for what else would soothe his troubled mind, he shucked out of his leggings and tunic and slipped the robe on, letting Viktor’s scent envelop him.  
  
Desire pooled low in his gut and he knew his heat would be upon him any day.  
  
The omega was half hard as he made his way back to the bed, grabbing onto the sensations coursing through his body as a hopeful precursor for the days to come. He could feel moisture begin to pool between the cheeks of his pert, round ass and was momentarily confused, only to remember what Phichit had told him earlier about slick. He couldn't help but reach back to slide a finger through the moisture, the sweet scent lacing the air around him.  
  
Yuuri shuddered at the sensation. He had never produced slick before and as much as he wanted to panic about it, he couldn’t help the arousal that was pulling him under, clouding his vision as the scent of his slick mixed with Viktor’s robe.  
  
What would it smell like, he wondered, when Viktor was here? On top of him?  
  
Inside him?  
  
The omega’s cheeks flushed at the nature of his thoughts.  
  
He fell asleep with the intoxicating fragrance of the alpha prince surrounding him and his name on Yuuri’s lips.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Wind whipped through the long strands of platinum hair that had slipped from Viktor’s bun as he stood on the docks and watched the approaching ships make their way towards his shore. Dressed in a heavy burgundy cloak with black fur and high black leather boots, he looked menacing against the city’s rocky coast.  
  
Mila, Georgi, and Yuri were both standing a few steps away, arguing about the best way to train Yuri’s growing tiger, Polina, who was constantly running amok. The two lords had taken to his brother for whatever reason and enjoyed ribbing on him whenever they got the chance.  
  
Their voices were like white noise to the alpha prince, one hand resting firmly against the hilt of his sword as the other clenched in a fist by his side. The black leather of his gloves made a small squeak at the movement.  
  
Normally, these types of diplomatic encounters didn't phase him in the slightest, but lately his mind was having trouble focusing on anything but the beautiful omega dancer he was courting.  
  
And his impending heat.  
  
He could feel his desire rising, his instincts clawing at him from the inside like a caged beast, demanding that he take. That he conquer. His body was screaming for him to push himself between Yuuri’s thighs and bury himself in the omega’s tight heat.  
  
But he needed to be patient. With so much at stake for the kingdom and Yuuri’s heat not yet started, Viktor needed to buckle down and focus.  
  
His mood had suffered, though, and more than once he found his mouth tugged into a frown. The alpha was doing his damnedest to maintain a tight grip on his self-control. He refused to succumb to such archaic behavior and no omega, no matter how tempting, was going to rid him of years of practice and self-discipline.  
  
Still, he couldn’t help his mind from flashing forward to this evening, when he would finally be able to go and see how Yuuri was settling in. Would he be a nester? Viktor wondered, imagining the omega collecting furs and linens and making a space for them to mate on the big feather bed.  
  
“You spend too much time spoiling her, “ Georgi said from somewhere behind him. “You should be teaching her to be loyal. And to have some damned manners.”  
  
“I didn’t ask for your advice,” Yuri snapped, his fair brow furrowed in outrage.  
  
“That doesn’t mean you don’t need it,” Mila sang.  
  
Viktor made a point to catch his brother's eyes, his blue gaze cutting across the space between them and carrying with it a silent threat.  
  
Get in line or suffer the consequences.  
  
To which Yuri crossed his arms and stormed away, muttering something under his breath about dense alpha idiots that Viktor chose to ignore.  
  
At this point, any altercation could send him over the edge, and although he thought it was unlikely that he would snap, part of his ability to keep himself in line came from avoiding aggravating situations.  
  
He let out a heavy sigh.  
  
“It looks like the remainder of our council will be upon us shortly,” Chris said, coming to stand at Viktor’s side, his peridot eyes stretching out across the water as he examined each of the ships.  
  
Several of them were carrying the remaining lords closer. In front were two ships with Lord Minako’s banners, who was traveling the farthest out of anyone there. He could also make out the dark blue flags of Lord Nishigori and in the distance, could faintly see the flags of Lord Otabek.  
  
“Almost,” Viktor replied. “Almost all of them will be upon us by mid-morning.”  
  
Chris frowned, his calculating gaze taking inventory of the boats cruising toward them, “Is someone missing?”  
  
“Yes,” Viktor’s tone was clipped. “There is one missing. The worst the bunch.”  
  
“Lord Leroy?”  
  
Viktor’s jaw clenched at the name.  
  
“The epitome of everything I despise in an alpha.”  
  
“You’re familiar with him then?” Chris asked, his heavy turquoise cloak ruffling in the wind that rolled off of the sea.  
  
“We spent many years training together when we were younger,” Viktor explained quietly, blue eyes icing over as he spoke. “Our fathers enjoyed forcing us to compete against each other, although I don’t think JJ needed much prodding.”  
  
Memories bombarded him and there was much he could tell his friend. He could talk of their battles in the training yards where they had spent endless hours beating each other bloody under the guise of bettering themselves for the throne. Or of the humiliation his father inflicted upon him whenever JJ had bested him, pushing him harder and harder with no remorse. But none of it would quite encompass the deeply seeded rivalry between the two alphas and his mood was sour enough as it was.  
  
Instead, he kept silently staring out across the water.  
  
“He will come,” Viktor’s voice finally broke the silence, echoing against the rocks.  
  
JJ was an alpha who used his instincts and his dominance over others to stockpile power. Everything came back to that - the strongest survived and the weak were made to serve. Viktor had no doubt he would show up, if only to make a grab for the throne.  
  
“Just be on your guard when he does decide to show his face. He is not known for his kindness.”  
  
The other ships grew closer, and soon they would dock. Viktor could handle the three lords arriving, he was absolutely certain. Lords Minako and Nishigori had been in court when he was younger and he remembered them as good-natured, if not a bit sassy.  
  
Lord Otabek would certainly be a formidable opponent, but Viktor’s intel indicated the younger lord would honor the hierarchy and wasn’t one to cause undue trouble.  
  
JJ was the only wild card. The only alpha in the entire group that Viktor has apprehensions of, mainly due to his low opinions of omegas and desire to embrace all of the antiquated traditions of alphan culture.  
  
But what disturbed him even more than JJ was the beast that railed inside him, begging for someone to try and challenge his rule. Viktor’s inner alpha was a beast that sought violence and domination and wanted to spill blood in his name, just as his primitive ancestors had done. The thought of JJ trying to confront him made the beast lick its lips greedily and growl as it paced, waiting to be unleashed.  
  
Viktor scoffed at the fanciful nature of his musings and smiled. He’d dealt with far worse than JJ. The prince had no doubt that he would be victorious, regardless of how JJ decided to handle himself. His life at sea had put him and his crew against many formidable opponents and each battle has fallen in Viktor’s favor.  
  
The real challenge would be keeping his composure with Yuuri’s heat just over the horizon.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
It was midday and Yuuri was confined to his new room.  
  
Whenever one of the omegas in his troupe approached a coming heat cycle, Celestino asked them to sit out from their performances as a safety precaution. The last thing any of them wanted was to fall into a heat mid-dance. It would spell disaster for the show, a social faux pas in the elite circles they performed for, and a nightmare situation for any omega.  
  
This was also a measure of comfortability.  
  
Unless an omega was mated with an alpha, heats were unbearable. Yuuri could already sense the coil of cramps aching low in his belly as his skin felt stretched too-tight over his bones. He was still clothed, but soon the material would be too itchy for him to bear. Normally he was bedridden for a week or so until the symptoms passed. But now he would be mated, and the silver-haired prince would be able to rid him of his heat in just a day or so.  
  
Yuuri’s skin was on fire, heat slithering across him as he lay in an uncomfortable haze upon the too-soft feather bed he had been temporarily gifted.  
  
The omega was familiar with his cycle, familiar with the unrelenting waves of pain that would roll through him, leaving him breathless and throbbing. But this time was completely different. Instead of feeling as though his body would be torn apart where it sat, untouched and unloved, there was electric anticipation in the air.  
  
Viktor’s scent surrounded him, making his breath catch in his throat as his nipples stiffened to firm peaks beneath the coarse linen of his tunic. He tugged it off and walked over to the window, pulling back the fur that covered it to let cool air wash over him. The sun was high across the harbor and the people bustling below looked like ants from his tower perch.  
  
Yuuri closed his eyes and let the wind ruffle his dark locks. He did his best to clear his mind, using some of the calming techniques the other dancers taught him to manage his stage fright.  
  
There was a knock at the door and Yuuri jumped. It couldn’t be his friends or Celestino because the troupe was getting ready to perform at a big feast down below. He walked over cautiously but relaxed as soon as he detected Viktor’s now-familiar scent on the other side.  
  
It sent a bolt of electricity through him and he ever wondered if he’d get used to how the alpha affected him. He could feel the desire in his blood begin to rise and although his heat had not yet started, it felt like he was on a precipice, overlooking the tempest of lust boiling within him and could be hurled into its depths at any moment.  
  
He had his hand on the knob when Yuuri realized he was about to answer the door naked. He flushed from head to toe and flitted across the room, looking for something to wear. His eyes landed on the robe and he scooped it up as the prince knocked again.  
  
He was just securing the tie at the waist when he flung the door open, breath coming in shallow gasps, his heart racing.  
  
Yuuri had seen the prince on a few occasions and each time, the alpha had been wearing a charming smile, his blue eyes bright and dazzling. Now, though, Viktor’s expression was completely different.  
  
His heart-shaped smile was replaced with a tight-lipped pout. His normal cheery blue gaze was darker than Yuuri had ever seen it, the depths of his smolder reaching out and wrapping around the omega like an extra layer.  
  
“You’re wearing it,” Viktor finally managed to utter, the gravel of his tone scraping against the back of his throat.  
  
Yuuri watched as Viktor’s eyes trailed down his form, taking in his lithe, graceful body. He swallowed thickly and nodded, the only response he could muster as the scent of the alpha’s arousal rose sharply around them.  
  
Viktor reached up and brushed a dark lock of hair back behind Yuuri’s ear, trailing his fingers along the soft skin of his face. The omega shuttered beneath his touch.  
  
“D-do you want to come in?” Yuuri asked in a timid voice, standing back from the door to allow the prince entry.  
  
As he walked past, Yuuri took a moment to appreciate - and perhaps fret over - how large the alpha’s frame was. His broad shoulders easily filled the doorway and his long legs managed to cross the space in just a few steps.  
  
“How are you liking the room, Yuuri?” Viktor purred.  
  
Yuuri turned to answer him only to find the prince sitting on the large bed, legs crossed and hands stroking the soft fur blanket. Seeing him there, in the bed that they would soon share was too much for the omega. A whimper broke from his throat and his brain short-circuited.  
  
“Yuuri?” Viktor asked, concern washing over his face.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he squeaked out, “I’ve just never--”  
  
He clapped a hand over his mouth before he could embarrass himself further.  
  
“Never what?” Viktor asked.  
  
The alpha stood, his pale skin glowing softly in the orange light of the fire, cool shadows contrasting his sharp features.  
  
“You can tell me anything,” he said softly, bringing his hand once more to Yuuri’s face.  
  
“I’ve never felt this way,” Yuuri mumbled in a low whisper, “about anyone.”  
  
Viktor’s hand trailed up to card through the omega’s dark locks and without thinking, the prince reached down to rub his wrist against Yuuri’s neck, their scents melding in perfection and muddling the air around them.  
  
“Neither have I,” the alpha confessed, his cerulean gaze open and honest. “In all my travels, in all my years, I have never felt this, this pull. I have never wanted an omega the way I want you, Yuuri.”  
  
Yuuri shuddered, eyes dilating and skin prickling. Beneath the robe, he felt himself become sticky with slick, caught the sweet scent of it surging up to envelop them.  
  
“I-” Yuuri’s voice was choked as he wracked his brain for the right words. “V-Viktor…”  
  
The prince’s face became almost predatory as his name fell from the omega’s lush mouth.  
  
“What is it, love?” Viktor knew the omega was timid and did his best to wait patiently for him to finish, letting his silky hair slip between his long, nimble fingers.  
  
Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching at his sides. He could do this. He wanted this for himself. Wanted Viktor and the promise of fulfilled desires that loomed with his impending heat. Damn if he was gonna let his anxiety take this from him, too.  
  
“I’m a virgin!” he shouted.  
  
The silence that followed was deafening. Yuuri dared peak open one eye and was surprised to see Viktor’s face frozen in a mask of shock.  
  
“Viktor?” he asked tentatively, shaking the alpha’s arm.  
  
He blushed when he grabbed onto the rippling muscle hidden beneath his tunic, but his concern for the prince made him force away his lascivious thoughts.  
  
“Say something,” he pleaded, his voice rising as panic threatened to suffocate him.  
  
Viktor’s eyes snapped to meet Yuuri’s and his grip tightened in the omega’s hair. He bent his head and captured Yuuri’s lips in a bruising kiss that stole the remaining air from his lungs. Viktor’s other arm wrapped around Yuuri’s waist and hauled him against his hard body.  
  
A growl rose from the back of Viktor’s throat as he deepened the kiss, tracing his tongue along the omega’s bottom lip until he opened. Yuuri completely melted into it, his body pliant beneath the alpha’s touch.  
  
Viktor pulled back slightly, smiling against Yuuri’s lips.  
  
“I should probably be nervous or upset but all I can think of is how lucky I am.”  
  
Yuuri gazed up at him, his eyes filled with questions.  
  
“Lucky to be the one who gets to see this side of you,” Viktor continued, his thumb stroking Yuuri’s lower lip before he went in for another, softer kiss. “Don’t worry, love. I’ll take care of you.”  
  
With that Viktor gave him a parting kiss and walked to the door.  
  
“I wish I could stay, but as I’m sure your friends have told you, there is another feast tonight and I have to attend.”  
  
Yuuri nodded, his fingers delicately ghosting over his lips as if he still couldn’t believe this was all really happening.  
  
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. I don’t think we’ll have to wait very long,” the alpha said, voice low as a wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.  
  
He was gone before Yuuri’s brain rebooted and for a long while he stood in the middle of the room, clad only in Viktor’s robe. It wasn’t until servants showed up to restock the fire and bring him a tray of finely prepared food that he snapped out of his stupor.  
  
They said nothing as the attended to him and he was grateful for it, his mind still racing through each second of his encounter with the prince. He had taken the news of Yuuri’s virginity surprisingly well, his words playing in Yuuri’s mind on repeat.  
  
Don’t worry, love. I’ll take care of you.  
  
The omega’s apprehensions vanished, replaced by a slow-burning desire that was spreading across his skin, gaining momentum as is poured through his veins like molten honey. Maybe this whole mating thing wouldn’t be that difficult after all.  
  
Waiting for the silver-haired prince to return, however, would be no easy task.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
The secret to controlling one’s body was mental fortitude.  
  
All his life, this was a trait Viktor prided himself on, a skill honed through years of hardship and trudging along a path of his own forging. Yet, From where he sat upon his raised platform looking out upon the elites of the kingdom as they indulged in another elaborate feast, he could feel the alpha within him chafing him raw.  
  
In a tower chamber very near his own, Yuuri was likely starting his heat. He’d been so close when Viktor stopped by this afternoon. Just the thought of the omega slicking for him, whimpering as Viktor filled him, had the prince gripping his goblet with undue force, the metal groaning beneath his hold.  
  
Most of the lords were currently discussing upcoming trade negotiations with another kingdom to the south, Yuri was arguing with Mila about the appropriate amount of jam to spread on his roll while she pinched his cheeks, and Yakov was busy apologizing to Lilia for something or other.  
  
The entertainers were lively, and he could appreciate the dance troupe, even if he was disappointed not to see Yuuri and the body that had been causing him so much anguish of late.  
  
His sigh was heavy.  
  
“How much longer do y--” Viktor whispered to Chris, only to find his friend staring at one of the dancers. It was another omega he recognized from the Boar. The one with the dark eyes and megawatt smile.  
  
He cleared his throat.  
  
“Huh?” Chris asked, head-turning before his eyes fully pulled away from the dancer.  
  
Viktor flashed him a fox-like smile, his tone completely friendly even though he couldn’t resist giving Chris a jab, “I’m surprised you’ve managed to keep your scent down this long with the way you two have been eyeing each other all night.”  
  
Chris huffed a laugh and returned the sass with a line of his own, “Who could possibly catch my scent when you’re is practically gagging the entire crowd.”  
  
They held their grins for a moment before breaking down in a fit of laughter. Chris’ wit always managed to put the prince in a better mood, but he was still grating at the edges, eager to be done with this whole ordeal.  
  
“I was going to ask you how much longer you think I need to be here. But even thinking about that makes me realize how blind this omega is making me. Is now really the best time for me to be pulling my focus away from the court?”  
  
It was Chris’ turn to sigh. “For a prince who is about to inherit a kingdom, you have a unique talent for denying yourself life’s simplest of pleasures.”  
  
Viktor looked pointedly at his friend, “Well, maybe you think that because you never deny yourself anything.”  
  
Chris laughed heartily at this, drawing the attention of several others at the head table.  
  
“Just go for it!” came a voice from Chris’ other side.  
  
It was Lord Minako, who had quickly become one of Viktor’s favorites in the lot. They both had an appreciation for fine rice wine from the East. She draped an arm around Chris, her face coming alarmingly close to the scent gland on his neck.  
  
“You are simply divine,” she crooned at the omega, who was taking all of the attention in good stride.  
  
“Merci,” he said to her, winking one peridot eye as he donned his most flattering smile.  
  
Lord Minako’s face went beet red and she fell backward at the unexpected attentions, the combination of alcohol and Chris’ flirtations overwhelming the affectionate alpha.  
  
Around them, everyone seemed to be in good humor and Viktor wondered if he’d been getting himself worked up over nothing. Soon, he could take his leave and get his arms around the enchanting omega that had been on his mind for too many days to count. The unspoiled omega who had never before shared his heat.  
  
His inner alpha liked that very much.  
  
A sudden gust of wind swept into the room, accompanied by the loud crashing of the double doors that lead to the great hall. Everyone stopped, guests with goblets halfway to their mouths, servants gripping trays of quaking delicacies. A few in the crowd shrieked in surprise and the musicians abruptly cut off their tune as dancers fled the halls’ center. All were now staring at the entrance as they waited for the intruder to make themselves known.  
  
A tall figure strode into the great hall, garbed in a fine fur-lined cloak that shined in the light of the room’s many torches, his heavy boots tapping out a rhythm that was meant to intimidate just as much as it was meant to alert one of his presence.  
  
“JJ,” Viktor cursed under his breath, watching the other alpha make his way through the center of the hall, completely ignoring the gasps and whispers that followed him.  
  
By his side were four burly alpha soldiers, his royal guard no doubt, all dressed in the dark green that represented House Leroy. As he walked among the tables, he glared at the servants who still stood between them, forcing them to lower their gaze and cower meekly as they no doubt had done under the rule of Viktor’s father.  
  
“My, Viktor, is the hour so dark that the head table of Ilych is polluted with omegas?” JJ sneered, his pointed stare landing on Yuri.  
  
Viktor felt rage rip through him as JJ continued his arrogant pace, the lord’s eyes still fixated on his brother. The prince stood, sweeping his chair backward with a loud scrape, his instincts screaming at him to protect, to put himself between this threat and Yuri.  
  
“Ah, JJ,” he said, dripping in a practiced tone that was laced with deceptive sweetness, “how kind of you to make an unannounced entrance so much later than the other guests. We thought you were lost at sea with how long it took you to make it here.”  
  
The crowd let out a soft swell of laughter, the tension in the room easing. JJ’s face twisted into a scowl as he and his guard came to a stop in front of the head table.  
  
“I would watch your words carefully, _prince_ ,” JJ sneered, emphasizing the last word with a sharp glint in his eyes, “your coronation hasn’t been cemented just yet.”  
  
“Is that a challenge?” Viktor said, voice turning as cold as the sea outside. “I thought you would know better than to show up here and confront me directly, Jean-Jacques.”  
  
JJ flashed a cocky grin. Ilych had seen several challengers to the throne, who participated in a barbaric ritual fight to the death. It was something that Viktor’s training and life at sea had prepared him for. He didn’t necessarily relish in the idea of killing, even if his inner alpha did.  
  
“It’s not you I’m here to challenge,” he snarled, gaze landing once again on Yuri. “Until the coronation, I believe our laws state that the current Prince Yuri is the one who must defend the throne from a challenge.”  
  
A collective gasp rippled out across the crowd, murmurs rising from every corner of the great hall. Yuri’s face blanched and at this point, and he jumped when Chris landed a heavy hand on his shoulder, standing behind him in a show of support.  
  
At this new declaration, Viktor was livid and his grip on the tight leash that controlled his instincts snapped like a twig. He crossed the distance between him and JJ in two strides and struck him open-handed in the face.  
  
The sound cracked loudly, echoing in the now-quiet hall. JJ’s face was frozen in horror. He’d prepared his words so carefully only to be undone by one brutish gesture.  
  
“Let me make myself perfectly clear, Lord Leroy,” Viktor said, leveling the other alpha with a stare that brokered no conjecture. “The throne is under my protection. You can challenge my brother, but I promise you, I will fight in his stead and I do not lose.”  
  
There was a tense moment, Viktor’s scent of fury climbing into the air. JJ held his stare indignantly until finally, the other alpha dropped his eyes away in a sign of submission.  
  
“Now I suggest you go clear your head and settle in for the night, lest you cause another disruption.”  
  
One of JJ’s guards pulled the humiliated noble away as they reluctantly left the feast. Viktor plastered a smile on his face and turned to the crowd.  
  
  
“It would be a shame to waste such fine food and entertainment,” he said in his usual chipper tone. “Please, enjoy the rest of the feast.”  
  
He turned back toward the head table but passed it, walking straight to the private entrance that was reserved for the royal family.  
  
As he stormed away, Viktor felt tears of anger and frustration burning at the back of his eyes. When was the last time he was so emotional? He knew what had triggered it. He’d acted exactly as his father would have.  
  
Viktor’s palm stung where it struck JJ’s face and his long legs could not carry him fast enough away from his shame, a dark growl aching in the back of his throat. After everything he’d worked so hard for, he was no better than the monster his father wanted him to be. His inner alpha won and Viktor couldn’t help but mourn for the fact that instincts bested him.  
  
He could hear Chris’ footsteps behind him, smell his familiar scent on the air.  
  
“Leave me alone!” he barked in a tone that was harsher than Chris deserved.  
  
But Viktor was too worked up at the moment to worry about his friend and in the back of his mind, he knew that he could never lose Chris’ love. Not even when he was being an outright asshole.  
  
After stomping for longer than he could keep track of, he came to an abrupt stop, almost running smack dab into the heavy wooden door he visited earlier that afternoon. The warm, bright scent of the omega surrounded him and Viktor almost felt his knees buckle. How could he do this?  
  
How could he bed a virgin omega when he couldn’t control himself?  
  
Yuuri deserved better.  
  
He would simply explain that he needed time. A day at most. Just to collect himself and be sure he didn’t pose a threat to the omega’s safety.  
  
He lifted his hand to knock and refused to acknowledge it was shaking. The alpha let out a long breath, willing himself to get this over with some of his dignity intact.  
  
His knuckles rapped against the door but there was no answer. The heavy scent of heat fogging around him ensured that Yuuri was inside. That his heat was well underway. Viktor felt his cock twitch at the thought instinctively, even as his mind remained a jumbled mess.  
  
He knocked again and again but still got no response, which made him bristle in unease. The alpha slowly pushed the door open, wood and iron creaking as he peered into the dark room.  
  
It was freezing, fur thrown back from the window to let a chilly night breeze sweep through. With the wind, there was no way to keep a flame lit, but the open window allowed rays of pale moonlight that cast a blue glow across the room.  
  
Not that it mattered much to Viktor.  
  
alpha’s were born with exceptional night vision. And for once, Vitkor was thanking his inner alpha as his gaze snapped to the form writhing on the bed.  
  
Writhing.     
  
Yuuri was in full heat, as if the scent soaking the air around him wasn’t enough of an indicator. It looked like he had been nesting, the bed piled high with blankets and linens. Viktor was glad Chris suggested leaving the trunk of extra soft nesting supplies.  
  
The omega didn’t acknowledge his presence and was instead rubbing furiously against the fabric. His skin was iridescent beneath the moonlight, accentuated by Viktor’s superb vision and giving him an unfiltered view as Yuuri undulated against the bed. Desire pummeled through him. He took a step forward but froze when he realized Yuuri had his robe beneath him.  
  
Viktor gulped.  
  
Fuck.  
  
This omega was going to be the death of him.  
  
“Yuuri,” he said, voice coming out in a croak.  
  
The omega actually moaned in response.  
  
“Yuuri,” he repeated more firmly, taking a few steps closer to the bed.  
  
He could make out a thin sheen of sweat covering the omega’s skin and swallowed thickly, his own scent filled with arousal as it flowed freely around him. He reached out his arm, letting his wrist graze across the omega’s bare skin.  
  
Yuuri stiffened and whimpered sweetly before turning to face the silver-haired prince. The alpha’s pheromones temporarily lifted the desire fogging his brain with a moment of clarity as Yuuri stared up at him, taking in his dumbstruck as he stood beside the bed.  
  
“Viktor,” he sighed wantonly, squirming against the textured fabric of the prince’s robe.  
  
The omega grasped at Viktor’s wrist and brought it to his throat, rubbing their glands together so their scents could mingle. He managed to raise himself up onto his knees, bringing his naked body to the edge of the bed as he tugged eagerly at Viktor’s clothing.  
  
“W-wait a moment, Yuuri,” Viktor stuttered, stepping back out of the omega’s reach. “I..I don’t know if this is a good idea.”  
  
Yuuri looked up at him with wide eyes that were glazed over with desire, but Viktor didn’t miss the look of hurt that flashed across that face.  
  
“I just,” he started, scratching a hand at the back of his next as his eyes pulling away from the naked omega before him, which was no easy feat. “I don’t know if it’s safe.”  
  
How did he explain that he was weak? That everything he thought he knew was crumbling down around him.  
  
“I haven’t...been in control today,” he continued, choosing his words carefully. “I could hurt you and that’s the last thing I want.”  
  
He looked back up, fingers drifting toward the omega’s hair, then pulling them back as he read the disappointment and confusion on Yuuri's face.  
  
“Y-you…” Yuuri’s voice was soft, his eyes glued to the floor. “You don’t want me?”  
  
Viktor felt like a total ass. The anxiety in that one, small question was twisting his already confused emotions.  
  
“No--” he cut himself off, moving to sit beside Yuuri on the bed. He placed a gentle hand on Yuuri’s shoulder, willing the omega to look up and meet his gaze.  
  
“No,” the alpha reiterated. “It’s not that at all. Trust me, I’ve thought of little else but sharing your heat since we first met. But I…”  
  
His words were choked in his throat as the events of the previous hour came crashing back to him.  
  
“I don’t trust myself right now. If I did anything to hurt you…”  
  
Viktor hung his head in shame.    
  
“Viktor,” Yuuri pleaded, bringing his hand up to the prince’s face and turning it so their eyes could meet. “Please. I’ve been waiting for what feels like an eternity.”  
  
The alpha’s mouth popped open in surprise as Yuuri swung a leg across his hips to straddle him.  
  
“I don’t need a well-mannered prince right now,” the omega purred, bringing his mouth to the alpha’s ear so his hot breath brushed against him.  
  
“I need an alpha. And I’ve waited my whole life and finally chosen you."  
  
He kissed the corner of Viktor’s mouth, his soft lips still scrunched in a pout. He wasn’t sure what had happened to the alpha to leave him so shaken, but the hormones pulsing through him were louder than any rational thought. He wanted to bring a smile back to the prince’s face, to feel that smile pressed against his skin.  
  
Yuuri kissed Viktor harder this time, directly on the lips.  
  
“Don’t make me wait any longer.”  
  
Yuuri’s eyes were wild, pupils blown out into black pools of desire. He looped his arms around Viktor’s neck, his scent bleeding into the alpha’s skin as his mouth came crashing down again.  
  
Given the omega’s shy nature the past few times they’d spoken, Viktor was shocked at this wanton creature writhing in his lap. It felt like Yuuri was everywhere, his muscular thighs bracketing Viktor’s hips as heat rolled off him in waves.  
  
“Yuuri,” Viktor sighed against the omega’s lips, his hands fisting in the bedding beneath him to keep from reaching out and touching the expanse of skin plastered to his front.  
  
There was so much he wanted to say, so much bottled up inside of him that he needed to get out. But just then scent glands on the omega’s wrists brushed against Viktor’s neck and the scent intoxicated him.  
  
A flush broke out across the prince’s skin and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. It took a moment for Viktor to realize that the broken moan echoing around the chamber had come from him.  
  
Yuuri swallowed the moan as he continued his assault on Viktor’s mouth, pulling a smooth tongue across the seam of Viktor’s lips, coaxing them open. Once he gained entrance, the omega swept inside, and his innocent ministrations tugged at a corner of Viktor’s heart, chinking away his resolve to postpone their coupling.  
  
The prince relinquished himself to the powerful creature straddling him, kissing back for all he was worth as his hands went to the omega’s hips, fingers anchoring him in a bruising grip. Yuuri groaned, acknowledging Viktor’s response as his fingers dug into silver hair, his hips grinding down onto the prince’s hard length. He felt the now-familiar slick dribbling down between his cheeks and felt it leaking out onto Viktor’s pants.  
  
“Yuuri.”  
  
Viktor’s blue eyes were hooded as he looked up at the omega, his entire aura changing now that he could smell his slick. Gone was the insecure prince, replaced with an alpha whose only mission was to bring his mate pleasure.  
  
His hand reached around Yuuri’s waist, fingertips trailing down his crack until they found the sticky substance pooling there. He ran a finger through the moisture, bringing it back around to the omega’s puffy lips.  
  
“Have you ever tasted yourself?” he asked, his voice a husky growl in the quiet room.  
  
Yuuri shivered against him, shaking his head as his lips parted and a pink tongue darted out to swipe Viktor’s outstretched digit. Their eye contact was intense, and Yuuri felt the rest of the world slip away, leaving nothing but he and Viktor on the edge of the giant featherbed.  
  
He pulled Viktor’s finger into his mouth and sucked hard, imagining that he had his lips around the prince’s pulsing erection. Viktor moaned, bringing another finger up for Yuuri to lather. He pulled them from Yuuri’s mouth and reached back around to his ass, probing his wet hole.  
  
Viktor pressed the tip of one finger in and Yuuri’s cock jumped, his whole body tensing at the unfamiliar sensation. The alpha pressed on, allowing the omega to adjust as he went deeper. It felt so good, Yuuri bit his lip from letting a choked cry escape him.  
  
With his free hand, Viktor reached up, grabbing Yuuri’s jaw and pulling him down for a ravaging kiss. He applied more force against his tight entrance, slowly pumping his finger in and out as their mouths clung together, their kisses becoming rushed and desperate. He groaned when Yuuri’s hips bucked against his cock, precum mingling with the omega’s slick to form a spot on the front of his trousers.  
  
Viktor pulled back, removing his hand as Yuuri panted above him.  
  
“I haven’t even gotten a good look at you,” he murmured, wrapping his strong arms around Yuuri’s waist and lifting him in one smooth motion.  
  
He turned, carefully laying the omega down on the bed and stepping back so that he might take in the sight of him. Yuuri was lean muscled, his back arching gracefully as his palm wandered down to stroke his shaft, as though he couldn’t help himself. His stomach was chiseled in corrugated muscle and his shapely legs bent at the knee as he struggled to find friction against his nest.  
  
Big, chocolate eyes were glued to Viktor as he began removing his clothes, peeling away layers and letting the fabric slip from his body. Yuuri’s gaze roamed over each inch of skin exposed, feasting on the prince’s perfect form. At the sight of his cock, Yuuri felt a small sliver of panic. It was so much bigger than he imagined. Would he be able to accommodate so much?  
  
Viktor caught his expression and gave him a fond smile.  
  
“Don’t worry, love,” he cooed, crawling onto the bed so that he could lean over the omega. “I’ll take care of you.”  
  
He dropped his hips so that their lengths would grind together and they moaned in unison. The alpha put his weight on his forearms as he bent down, rubbing the glands at his throat against Yuuri’s, their scents mingling to form a cloud of arousal that was deliciously suffocating. His movements became rough as he grunted, pushing harder against Yuuri’s neck and alternating sides to hit each gland.  
  
Without thinking, he turned his head so that his lips might brush against it as well, his mouth opening unbidden as he sank his teeth into Yuuri’s throat, careful not to break the skin.   
  
“Viktor!” Yuuri cried out in pleasure at the feel of the alpha’s bite, the sweet sting of pain sending jolts of ecstasy through him.  
  
“You’re so beautiful,” Viktor murmured, moving lower to shower love bites across Yuuri’s collarbone. “I remember when I saw you that first night..”  
  
His voice trailed off as he reached Yuuri’s chest, one hand gripping both of their cocks together, the precum between them providing ample lubricant as Viktor pumped his fist. It felt so good, their lengths sliding along one another as Viktor continued his assault on Yuuri’s body.  
  
“Viktor, please.” the omega begged, squirming beneath him.  
  
Viktor hummed in appreciation and sat up.  
  
“Turn over,” he commanded, “on all fours.” He moved so Yuuri could oblige him.  
  
Viktor grabbed onto Yuuri’s hips and pulled his ass back toward his awaiting mouth. His tongue licked a hot strip between Yuuri’s cheeks and he felt the sticky, wet slick on his face as he honed in on his target.  
  
The omega’s hole was tense and quivering, the ring of muscle so tight that Viktor had to use a good deal of pressure to thrust his tongue in.  
  
Yuuri shrieked at the sensation, hips bucking wildly as the prince laved his hole with his greedy mouth. Viktor’s grip tightened to keep the omega in place, his fingers digging into his soft skin. He licked at Yuuri’s entrance, dipping his tongue in, then sucked against it, repeating the pattern until the omega was whining into the sheets, his voice hoarse from crying out.  
  
Viktor felt the dancer tense beneath him, felt his body coil tighter and tighter as he continued his ministrations. He wanted to eat him open, wanted the scent of his sweet slick to stay imprinted on him forever. The alpha held Yuuri’s cheeks open with one hand and reached around with the other to wrap his long fingers around Yuuri’s cock.  
  
He pushed in as far as he could with his tongue, quickening his pace to dart it in and out. His fist fell into rhythm with his mouth and the noises coming from the omega beneath him had Viktor leaking all over himself, his cock impossibly hard as it bobbed against his stomach. As much as he wanted to take Yuuri now, he knew he needed to be patient, needed to be assured that his partner was ready.  
  
Viktor pulled his face back and quickly laved two of his fingers in saliva. He didn’t hesitate, plunging them into Yuuri’s ass swiftly, maintaining the fast pace he had set. God, the omega was so tight but so responsive. It didn’t take long for his new attentions to bring Yuuri to the edge he’d been teetering on all day.  
  
“V-Viktor!” Yuuri cried. “I’m--”  
  
Whatever the omega was going to say was cut off with a slew of moans that reverberated around the stone chamber. He came in a rush, drenching Viktor’s hands as his muscles spasmed in release.  
  
Viktor grinned and gave a playful bite to one of the round globes of Yuuri’s ass. He released the omega, who fell forward into his nest, curling onto his side and stretching his limbs.  
  
It took Yuuri a moment to open his eyes, his body warm and languid in the wake of his climax. When they finally fluttered open, he saw only Viktor, who was now standing next to the bed. The prince reached down and picked up a random article of clothing, uncaring of its luxury as he wiped away the mess Yuuri had made on his stomach.  
  
“How are you feeling?” the alpha asked, joining him on the bed.  
  
“Hmmm,” Yuuri hummed a happy response, unable to articulate the pleasure he was feeling.  
  
Viktor chuckled as he pulled Yuuri into his arms and the sound rumbled against his sensitive skin. The alpha brushed the dark hair back from Yuuri’s forehead, fingertips trailing across his cheek.  
  
“You are enchanting,” he said, thumb holding Yuuri’s jaw as he brought his lips down in a tender kiss.  
  
It was different than the needy kisses they’d shared earlier. Now, their mouths molded together slowly, tongues probing sensuously. Yuuri felt desire uncurl in the pit of his belly like a cat waking from a sun-drenched nap. Each pass of Viktor’s tongue made warmth spread across his limbs, his spine-tingling as the prince let his hands drift and he melted into the prince’s hard body.  
  
Viktor turned him so that he was on his back and that ice blue stare was hovering above him. Yuuri felt impossibly happy, the entire encounter surreal as the prince’s mouth moved to his neck and chest, licking and sucking his tender flesh. The alpha’s nimble fingers pinched at Yuuri’s nipples, causing the omega to cry out in pleasure as Viktor moved lower and lower, platinum locks tickling him as he went.  
  
His hand gently parted Yuuri’s legs and he settled himself there, continuing with soft kisses along the inside of his thighs. When he reached the scent glands nestled there, he covered them with his mouth, tongue and teeth probing in a way that made Yuuri think he was going to come again right then and there, but he wasn’t entirely sure that was possible.  
  
He moaned hoarsely, his voice sounding alien to his own ears.  
  
Viktor’s mouth moved to his cock then, pulling Yuuri’s soft length between his lips and rolling his tongue around it. Yuuri felt electric, the blood rushing to his groin as he became almost instantly hard. When he looked down, the prince was gazing back up at him, eyes locking as his head bobbed up and down in a lazy rhythm.  
  
He reached up with one hand, presenting his fingers to Yuuri’s mouth and the omega eagerly took them in, sucking on them with vigor, letting his spit dribble out of his mouth and onto the prince’s nimble digits. Viktor pulled them back and they popped out of Yuuri’s mouth. Before he could miss them, he felt them probing gently at his entrance.  
  
He wasn’t sure how the prince was able to perfectly match the timing of his mouth and his fingers but soon, Yuuri was lost in sensation, writhing uncontrollably beneath Viktor.  
  
“Please!” he whined desperately. “Please, Viktor!”  
  
Viktor slid off of Yuuri to free up his mouth.  
  
“What, love?”  
  
Yuuri groaned in frustration, head thrashing from side to side as Viktor added a second finger, fucking Yuuri’s ass with his hand as he gazed lovingly down at his cloying form.  
  
“Please!” Yuuri repeated, voice cracking against the strain of his throat.  
  
“Hmmm, you’re going to have to tell me what it is you want, love.”  
  
Yuuri looked up at the prince with wild eyes, watching the alpha as he worked him steadily, hand moving in and out with a deftness that must be brought on by experience.  
  
“I want you,” he hissed through gritted teeth as his body began clenching helplessly around Viktor’s hand, slick making his movements easy.  
  
Viktor smiled down at him, slowly removing his hand so he could position himself between Yuuri’s thighs. He lined himself up but instead of pushing in right away, he bent down on his forearms so he could claim Yuuri’s mouth once more.  
  
As Yuuri surrendered to the kiss, Viktor gently pressed the head of his cock into the omega’s tight heat. Yuuri gasped at the intrusion. This was definitely more than the prince’s fingers and he wondered momentarily if he would fit.  
  
Then the prince thrust forward, filling Yuuri completely in one swift motion. Yuuri’s moan mingled with the alpha’s grunt of pleasure and he felt his body adjust around Viktor’s length. Fortunately, the prince gave him time to get accustomed to the feeling, leaning down to rub their necks together, the scent of their mixing pheromones helping Yuuri to relax.  
  
The omega scraped his nails along Viktor’s broad back, leaving angry red marks in his wake as Viktor began to slowly withdraw and press in again. He set a relaxed, gentle pace at first, in no rush to be anywhere but inside the breathtaking creature beneath him.  
  
Viktor pressed in further and quickened his pace to match the unhinged moans that started coming from the omega. He pushed himself up on his hands as his hips pumped into Yuuri’s ass, the round globes cushioning each thrust as Viktor drove himself deeper and deeper.  
  
Yuuri never imagined how good it would feel to be full, yet as Viktors cock glided against his passage, he knew that this was the ultimate ecstasy. The omega instinctively curled his legs up, gripping the backs of his knees as he splayed himself impossibly wide for the prince. He groaned as Viktor’s cock skimmed along his prostate, hitting that sweet spot at just the right angle to send stars shooting across his field of vision.  
  
He cried out in pleasure and the prince grinned lasciviously down at him, realizing the bliss his aim was bringing. At that point, Viktor turned relentless, slamming his hips forward in a brutal rhythm as each and every thrust sent shockwaves of heat rippling through Yuuri. The omega felt his muscles tighten as a sharp coil of lust grew heavier and heavier at the base of his spine.  
  
Viktor felt his response and growled, leaning down to sink his teeth into the gland at Yuuri’s throat once more. He didn’t intend to bond him, even though the alpha within was screaming out to make this omega his completely. He let his teeth sink into Yuuri’s flesh and at the taste of him, Viktor felt his own orgasm looming.  
  
His hips were driving forward at an unruly pace, reckless and abandoned as the omega’s pheromones washed over his tongue. Yuuri was whimpering, his sobs ringing in Viktor’s ears as he sped up, impossibly faster, his cock slamming into the omega.  
  
He felt Yuuri’s hole start to quiver, the muscles reaching their breaking point. Viktor adjusted so that he could see the expression on Yuuri’s face, his brow knit together tightly and eyes screwed shut.  
  
“Yuuri,” he growled, leaning on one forearm, “open your eyes.”  
  
His voice was strained and gruff, but the omega obeyed, his rich, brown gaze unfocused and drowning in passion.  
  
“Look at me,” Viktor commanded, his hand turning the omega’s face. “I want to see you when you come for me.”  
  
Yuuri sobbed at the alpha’s words, his body climbing higher and higher on each thrust of the alpha’s hips until it reached the pinnacle. He cried out, releasing his grip on his knees as his body convulsed under the immense weight of his orgasm, come sputtering out across his abdomen.  
  
Viktor let out a ragged moan, his hips stuttering as Yuuri clenched around him, sending him spiraling over the edge as he found his own release. The alpha buried himself to the hilt and came, filling Yuuri entirely as he planted his seed deep within him.  
  
He collapsed on top of Yuuri, trying his best to hold the bulk of his weight off him as their breath mingled in rapid huffs.  
  
“Yuuri,” he cooed, nuzzling the omega’s throat. “That was incredible.”  
  
Viktor made to pull himself away when he felt pressure at the base of his cock, a hard knot forming to lock him together with his mate.  
  
At the sensation, Yuuri looked up at him with a questioning gaze. “Viktor?”  
  
Viktor stared back down at him in disbelief. Never in all his years of mating had he knotted inside someone. A pink flush spread out across his pale cheeks.  
  
“That,” he began, still shocked at his own body, “is my knot. It’s meant to seal us together to ensure pregnancy and usually only happens with bonded pairs.”  
  
His blue eyes darted away bashfully, an uncommon expression to see on the powerful silver-haired alpha.  
  
“It’s never happened to me before.” His voice was soft with his admission.  
  
“Pregnancy?!” Yuuri squeaked, hands tightening to fists against the alpha’s midsection.  
  
Viktor smiled gently down at him, “Don’t worry, love, I’ve taken the necessary precautions. Even with the knot, I’m won’t get you with child.”  
  
Yuuri sighed in relief and Viktor wondered why that small gesture made him a bit disappointed.  
  
“We just need to wait until it releases.”  
  
Yuuri hummed happily and melted into Viktor’s embrace and the prince couldn’t help but marvel at the way they seemed to fit together like a puzzle. Like they were made for each other.  
  
They fell asleep waiting, only to rouse again for another round. The pattern repeated itself throughout the night and they mated over and over, Viktor finding that Yuuri had an insatiable appetite and incredible stamina to match. Each time, Viktor knotted and each time he asked himself how he had wound up in bed with such a perfect mate.  
  
When Yuuri next opened his eyes, there was soft light around him and he felt like he was floating. No, he was floating.  
  
He looked up at Viktor, who had wrapped him in a fur and was carrying him up a stone stairwell. The prince lifted him like he weighed nothing, cradling him against his chest as though he were something precious. He went to speak, only to find that his voice was too hoarse from their lovemaking for him to form words.  
  
They reached a door twice as wide as the one leading to Yuuri’s chamber. There was a window to Yuuri’s left and he glanced out it dazedly, barely registering the fact that he was now at the very top of the tower.  
  
Viktor opened the door and there was already a fire going in the room, which was lavishly and abundantly furnished. There was also a large soaking tub full of steaming water and a gold tray piled high with pastries and fruits and cheeses, along with several flagons of wine. The room embodied all of the splendor that Yuuri would associate with royal private chambers, yet the omega within him was saddened by the loss of their scent, which had become permeated in his nest.  
  
The alpha walked over to the bed and sat Yuuri on the edge, only long enough to peel the fur from around his shoulders. Then he was scooped up once more and deposited him delicately in the tub.  
  
“Rest for a moment, Yuuri,” Viktor said, and when he turned to leave the room, Yuuri noticed through droopy eyes that he was wearing the robe.  
  
He wasn’t sure how long Viktor was gone because the warm water soon lulled him into unconsciousness. When the alpha returned, he was carrying a massive armful of blankets from Yuuri’s room and set about arranging them on the bed, doing his best to replicate the omega’s nest.  
  
Yuuri’s heart did a funny skip in his chest as he watched Viktor fret over the arrangement a few times until he was satisfied with his work. He then turned to the tray and brought it over to the tub.  
  
“How are you feeling?” he asked softly, bringing his pale hand up to drift across the omega’s forehead.  
  
“Very well, thank you,” Yuuri purred, closing his eyes to the sensation.  
  
“Here,” Viktor said, bringing a ripe berry to Yuuri’s mouth, “eat.”  
  
Yuuri glanced up at him, pleased to have Viktor’s blue gaze focused only on him. The alpha watched as he pulled the berry between his lips, it’s juice bursting in his mouth and making him hum in appreciation. It had been a while since he’d eaten.  
  
And so he sat, completely soaked in fine hot water that relaxed his muscles as the silver-haired prince fed him each bite, savoring the act. Once they were both full and had a bit of wine, Yuuri was ready to get out of the tub.  
  
He rose slowly, his muscles protesting his recent activity. He stretched his arms up over his head, letting his body pull deliciously against the aches in his bones.  
  
When he looked back, Viktor was holding open a sheet to dry Yuuri off. He noticed that the alpha had tied his hair up into a messy knot at his crown and he missed seeing all of that amazing hair fanned out on the pillow next to him or forming a curtain around them when he leaned in close.  
  
The omega stepped out gingerly, allowing Viktor to wrap the cloth around him and pat him down. Viktor was gentle in his motions, wiping away droplets of water before pulling Yuuri in for a sweet kiss. Yuuri’s lips tingle at the contact, his cock twitching eagerly.  
  
After mating for most of the evening, his skin peppered with small bruises from Viktor’s love bites, Yuuri didn’t think he could possibly still want more. Yet blood was rushing to his groin and arousal marked his scent, which was now diluted with Viktor’s own. He wondered how long that would last and knew he would grieve its loss.  
  
Viktor pulled him toward the bed, sitting on the edge so that Yuuri could straddle him. The omega was slicking already, his body preparing him for the alpha’s knot. He rubbed their cocks together, pleased when he felt the prince’s hardness against his own.  
  
The alpha spanned Yuuri’s waist with his big hands, holding him steady as his hips rocked upward, causing a delicious friction against the omega’s sensitive cock. It didn’t take long for them to pull at each other’s lips with urgency, their mouths clacking together. The prince tasted like wine and berries and yet his scent of jasmine and citrus were also there, somehow.  
  
Yuuri couldn’t explain it, but this felt different. Viktor had wanted him in his own bed, and that felt significant. He licked into Viktor’s mouth greedily, his hips moving in tandem with the alpha’s as his skin broke out in goosebumps, desire thundering through his veins.  
  
He moaned loud, right into Viktor’s mouth and the alpha brushed his thumbs against the glands inside Yuuri’s thighs before applying enough pressure to release his scent into the air. Oil covered his digits and he brought one thumb up to his mouth, pulling back as blue eyes bore into Yuuri’s.  
  
Viktor brought his thumb up to his lips and sucked, as if the taste alone was irresistible, his eyes fluttering shut. Yuuri couldn’t wait. He moved to line himself up, as he’d learned to do just a few hours ago, but Viktor stopped him.  
  
“Can we try something?” he asked, a wry smile playing on his full lips. “I think you’ll like it.”  
  
“Okay,” Yuuri acquiesced, unable to find any other words when faced with the brunt of Viktor’s desires.  
  
He stood up and Viktor did the same, coming around behind Yuuri and leaning him over the big bed, his feet nudging Yuuri’s ankles apart so he could stand between his thighs. He slipped his fingers between Yuuri’s cheeks, probing at his relaxed entrance.  
  
“Ready?” he asked, lining himself up.  
  
Yuuri nodded, hands gripping into the familiar blankets, the fur tickling his stomach as Viktor pressed in slowly. He went inch by inch, his pace driving Yuuri mad. He needed more.  
  
He pushed his ass backward onto Viktor’s cock and groaned at the sensation.  
  
Viktor chuckled and gave Yuuri a smack on his rump.  
  
“You like this?”  
  
Yuuri nodded again, still unable to speak properly. He blamed the intoxicating prince who left him blissed out beyond recognition.  
  
Viktor sunk into the hilt, Yuuri’s tight hole pulsing around him at the invasion. The alpha leaned forward, hand gripping Yuuri’s wrist as his hot breath huffed against his ear.  
  
“You’ve been so good for me, Yuuri,” Viktor purred, nipping at his lobe.  
  
The omega shivered and moaned, letting desire wash over him, his skin hot and prickling as he waited for Viktor to move.  
  
But the alpha remained motionless, effectively pinning him to the bed.  
  
“I don’t know how I’m ever going to let you go,” the prince rasped, the admission coming from somewhere deep within.  
  
With that, Viktor rubbed their throats together and began a slow, punishing rhythm, pulling his cock almost all the way out before thrusting forcefully back in. Yuuri cried out at each pump of the alpha’s hips, but he was steady and consistent, refusing to pick up the pace.  
  
It was enough to drive Yuuri wild.  
  
“Viktor, please,” he sobbed, arching his back to find more friction.  
  
He moved to put his free hand on his cock, but Viktor stopped him, pinning both of his wrists as he continued his brutal pace.  
  
“More!” Yuuri growled, a demand that made Viktor moan audibly.  
  
“Alright, greedy omega,” Viktor said before pulling both of Yuuri’s wrists behind his back.  
  
He held him up like that and used the leverage to begin slamming his hips into him, bouncing Yuuri back onto his length. The new angle was deeper than before and Viktor’s cock slid past Yuuri’s prostate, making him buck wildly.  
  
Viktor’s thighs were straining, his muscles tense as he pistoned into Yuuri. He couldn’t help but marvel at the omega’s gorgeous body as it opened for him, and he stared hungrily at Yuuri’s ass as it swallowed his cock.  
  
He felt himself get close and released one of Yuuri’s wrists so that he could wrap a fist around his cock, precum lubricating his motions as he stroked the omega.  
  
After so many rounds through the night, he was familiar with the omega’s noises and caught the telltale hitch of breath and heavy panting that indicated he was getting close.  
  
“Yuuri,” he groaned, hips stuttering as he came, his knot swelling as he continued to pump the omega.  
  
Viktor felt Yuuri clench around him, his hole becoming impossibly tight around the knot. Then his whole body convulsed, a scream of pleasure tearing from his throat as he came over Viktor’s fist.  
  
Yuuri collapsed almost instantly, and Viktor gently unwound his arms, his knot sealing them together. The prince rubbed the stiff muscles of Yuuri’s shoulder peppering his back with kisses. Each time his lips brushed across the omega’s skin he shivered and Viktor was ridiculously pleased with himself.  
  
He lifted Yuuri onto the bed and curled up behind him, wrapping his long limbs around Yuuri’s frame. The omega didn’t put up any resistance and instead sank back into the prince’s strong arms, quickly falling asleep.  
  
The silver-haired prince listened to Yuuri’s steady breathing. The words he’d whispered earlier coming back to him.  
  
I don’t know how I’m ever going to let you go.  
  
The words rang heavy in the alpha’s mind. Yuuri’s heat would be over soon and he just..wasn’t ready for that. He still couldn’t understand how the omega had come to mean so much to him in such a short amount of time.  
  
But that didn’t really matter.  
  
What mattered now was enjoying the time he had with Yuuri. That, and figuring out a way to convince the omega to stay with him. The prince smiled into Yuuri’s hair. He could be patient.  
  
He fell asleep, his unconscious spinning dreams of chocolate eyes.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuri watched as Mila and Georgi made their way to the castle before climbing out of where he was hiding near the entrance to a lavish hedge maze. It spread out behind the palace and was affectionately known as the Ice Garden because of the way it became a crystal wonderland in the winter.   
  
He sighed in relief. Those idiots had been following him around all day, nagging him about everything under the sun, especially Polina. Who was currently missing. Again.   
  
The tiger cub was still small and adventurous, an adorable terror running amok on the castle grounds. But soon she would grow to be unmanageable and before then, Yuri needed to get her trained. Mila and Georgi and even Minako were taken with giving advice on some special trick, but each was more ridiculous than the last.   
  
Yuri scoffed, pulling his dark hood around his blonde hair as he made his way through the garden.   
  
He’d wandered he often as a child, seeing the garden as a place to find peace and quiet from his training. And from his overbearing father. His life had changed so much in the past few years that nothing seemed real anymore.   
  
He was an omega now, something he’d been taught was inferior.   
  
But being around Viktor and Chris gave him hope that he might not end up completely weak and useless.   
  
He was rounding a corner hedge on his way to the center fountain when a flash of black and white caught his eye.   
  
“Polina!” he yelled, chasing after the tiger.   
  
He followed her around several bends in the maze but was unable to catch her. Yuri was beyond frustrated when he finally stumbled into the center where the stone fountain was still bubbling up water, even though any day now it would freeze over.   
  
He was about to give up when he heard a low murmur. He walked to the far side of the fountain and found Polina sitting at someone’s feet, her head thrust up into a willing hand.   
  
“Hey!” Yuri called, coming around to get the tiger, who had the audacity to lay down and roll over so that the hand could scratch her belly.   
  
Yuri stopped in his tracks when he saw who she was with. Lord Otabek, one of the council members who had recently sailed in from somewhere to the east. His dark hair was cropped short, his eyes like steel as they slowly trailed up Yuri’s body until they met his gaze.   
  
“Is this yours?” he asked, nonchalantly, continuing to pet the tiger as she purred happily.   
  
“How did you catch her?” Yuri demanded, walking closer and trying not to flush as he continued to stare at the handsome lord.   
  
“I didn’t,” he said simply. “She came up to me.”   
  
“Tch. Figures,” Yuri mumbled.   
  
“Prince Yuri, right?” Otabek asked, extending a hand in greeting, a custom among his people.   
  
Yuri looked down at his hand skeptically. Did this alpha lord mean to mock him?   
  
“We’ve met before,” Otabek continued, withdrawing his hand when it became clear Yuri wouldn’t take it. “We trained together briefly when we were younger.”   
  
Yuri’s turquoise eyes snapped up to meet the lord’s gaze.   
  
“We did?” he asked, voice uncharacteristically soft.   
  
“Yes,” Otabek continued. “I always remember thinking you had the eyes of a soldier.”   
  
“A soldier?” Yuri repeated incredulously. “Fat chance of that happening now.”   
  
Otabek stopped petting Polina and sat up to look at the young prince.   
  
“Why?” he asked. “Because you are an omega?”   
  
Yuri flushed and turned away.   
  
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Otabek said, standing from the stone fountain.   
  
“Easy for you to say,” Yuri muttered, eyes sliding up to glance at the lord.   
  
“We are each master of our own destiny, omega prince,” Otabek said before he turned to leave. “It would be a shame for you to give up on yours.”   
  
Polina got up to chase after the lord and Yuri had to grab her tail to keep her running away. For reasons beyond him, his hands were sweating and his heart was thundering in his chest, Otabek’s words replaying in his mind.   
  
Had he misread the interest he’d seen in the Lord's eyes?   
  
The real question was whether or not he’d be brave enough to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws this update at you and runs away*
> 
> Thank you [@thelastthingweneedisanentmoot](https://thelastthingweneedisanentmoot.tumblr.com/) for being the best beta reader!!! Not to be confused with Beta reader ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [@nihilistshiro](https://nihilistshiro.tumblr.com/) where you can get more chatter from me and check out my [pocket romance series](https://nihilistshiro.tumblr.com/tagged/pocket-romance)!


	4. Mate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor hashes out parts of his past so he can prepare for his coronation. Meanwhile, Yuuri basks in the glow of Viktor's affections and tries to be there when Viktor needs him most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I am SO embarrassed at how long this took!!
> 
> But.
> 
> One thing I promised myself when I started writing for myself again is that I would never let this writing-stuff that comes from my heart-to cause me anxiety. So thank you for being patient! I hope you enjoy the update!!

For Yuuri, falling in love with Viktor was like falling off the edge of a waterfall and landing in a pool, surrounded by a lush oasis. The fall itself was terrifying. But he never had such a soft place to land. Never felt more comfortable, more complete in his entire life.  
  
He imagined himself floating in his family’s onsen, surrounded by glowing candles and effervescent steam. The thought filled his stomach with molten joy, a pure sense of happiness that he never expected to find.  
  
The best part was that Yuuri wasn’t alone anymore. The entire journey of his self-discovery was accompanied by the silver-haired prince, who was like a siren to Yuuri. His scent, his voice, his essence all seemed to have a direct line to Yuuri’s innermost self.  
  
The omega was completely open, vulnerable in a way he’d never been, not even with himself. While his heat was over and the symptoms abated, Yuuri’s desire for the alpha had not yet waned.  
  
Their scent enveloped him in the prince’s big bed, surrounding them in a cloud that crawled across Yuuri’s skin and prickled awake a lusty, sensual side of himself that was blossoming, latent but powerful.  
  
He stirred, sleepy eyes slowly blinking open. They landed on the hard muscle of Viktor’s chest, which was currently serving as his pillow. Early morning light filtered through the blessedly open window, bouncing off of Viktor’s platinum hair to cast a ray or two into Yuuri’s gaze.  
  
How exactly had this happened? His life of late flashed before his eyes. It all happened so fast that he felt like his heart was hammering to keep up.  
  
His heat ended two days ago, yet Viktor had insisted Yuuri stay nested in the alpha’s personal chamber. He wasn't sure if it was their chemistry or the omega instincts he was a slave to, but Yuuri had fallen fast and hard for the alpha prince.  
  
He doted on Yuuri’s every need, taking care of him between his princely duties. He popped in frequently throughout each day to check that he was fed and bathed and relaxed. He listened to Yuuri, probing him with questions about his likes and dislikes.  
  
And at night…  
  
At night, the alpha was relentless in his ministrations, taking care of Yuuri’s every desire, giving him every pleasure. The prince’s mark littered Yuuri’s chest and neck, but they hadn’t yet sealed the bond, those pink crescents never drawing blood.  
  
The more Yuuri thought about it, the more he desperately wanted Viktor’s marks slashed across his skin. The mate mark signified a union between a bonded pair, giving them an emotional connection that was intimate and rare. Unfortunately, it could be abused if an omega mated with the wrong sort of alpha. omegas could only wear the mark of one alpha, but alphas could bond with many mates.  
  
Viktor was different, though. He was unlike any alpha Yuuri knew, and for the first time in his life, the omega was unafraid of the unknown.  
  
Their first time–and throughout his heat–Viktor had been an attentive lover. He was inscrutable in his demand of the omega, pushing Yuuri’s stamina and wringing the most from his sensitive body. His knot sealed Yuuri each night, and during the day, the omega marveled at his longing for it, of the feeling of emptiness that struck him every time Viktor was away.  
  
But in the pale light of a new day, Yuuri basked in the glow of his joy. He wished it would never end.  
  
A loud, raucous thumping pounded against Viktor’s door.  
  
“Viktor!”  
  
Yuuri leaned over to wake Viktor, but his blue eyes were already open, alert. His arm came up around Yuuri like steel, the alpha’s scent rising around them, threatening.  
  
“Um..I–I think it’s Yurio?”  
  
“Yurio?” there was a curious glint in his crystalline gaze, a gentle smile tugging his lips.  
  
The pounding on the door stopped briefly, likely having scented Viktor’s ire.  
  
“Oh! Er, sorry! That’s what I call your brother. It’s, um, w-what my big sister used to call me.” Yuuri muttered.  
  
Viktor’s grin beamed down at him. “Yurio,” the prince tested the word on his tongue. “I like that.”  
  
He squeezed Yuuri, rubbing the scent glands at his neck across the dark mess of hair atop Yuuri’s head. The alpha emitted a sense of calm, relaxing Yuuri as he gave him a squeeze with his muscled arms.  
  
Viktor stood from the bed, stretching and gloriously naked. His grin was feline as he glanced back at Yuuri, platinum hair spilling over his shoulders, over scars that Yuuri had gotten to know well in the past few days. The omega wondered briefly if he would ever cease to be stunned into silence by his mate’s beauty.  
  
His mate.  
  
They hadn’t used the word yet, but Yuuri felt it in his soul.  
  
Suddenly Viktor’s face turned hard, jaw tensing and nostrils flaring. His scent rose up pungent, his inner alpha urging him to protect his mate.  
  
“It might just be my brother,” he said, tine still it’s usual, pleasant cadence, “but I don’t really want anyone to see you like this.” His tone dropped at the end, sending a chill down Yuuri’s spine.  
  
The alpha turned and marched over to the nearby chest and selected a pair of leggings that he slipped into easily. He grabbed a white linen shirt from the floor, the fabric covering up his body and sending a thrill of disappointment through the omega’s veins.  
  
“This,” Viktor gestured to Yuuri’s naked form, covered only by a select bit of bedsheet, “this is only for me.”  
  
The pounding resumed, Yurio’s voice rising with anger as he shouted something about Viktor breaking a promise.  
  
The prince looked mildly annoyed as he dragged a blanket from the foot of the bed to cover as much of Yuuri as possible, leaving only his face visible beneath the soft sheepskin. The alpha’s eyes were deep pools, his hands gripping Yuuri’s wrist and bringing it to his lips. Yuuri watch, rapt, as the prince bit gently into the gland there, bringing it up to his lips like he was suckling the sweet juice from a ripe peach.  
  
He rubbed Yuuri’s arm viciously across his neck and they both groaned at the contact, the smell of sex fogging around them.  
  
Somehow, Viktor managed to pull himself away, standing with a grunt and stumbling over to his boots, stuffing his feet in them. He pulled on a long cloak and ran a brush through his hair. Yuuri hoped one day Viktor would let him pull the fine gold comb through the platinum tresses.  
  
The prince turned on his heel and gave the omega one last, lingering look before he opened the door, slipping out to address his angry brother.  
  
Yuuri huffed out a sigh and relaxed into the soft bed nesting around him. He brought his hands up to his face, his heart thundering away in his chest as elation stirred within him, causing a painfully bright grin to overtake his features, lips pressed together to keep himself from openly weeping with joy.  
  
He knew this bubble of just the two of them couldn't last and that his anxiety would surely catch up to him when it popped. Whenever good things happened, the omega had a habit of overthinking them into darkness.  
  
But he would deal with that when it happened. Whatever the fallout, it would be worth it.  
  
For the first time in a long time, Yuuri remembered what it was to be happy.  


* * *

  
  
“So, you finally made it to my little corner of heaven, did you?.”  
  
JJ looked at the alpha addressing him, keeping the confident smile plastered on his lips and trying desperately to control his scent. The man was easily twice JJ’s size, his long, dark hair tied back with a cord, a rough beard etching his jaw.  
  
“Took you long enough.”  
  
His voice was as gruff as his appearance, his heavy shoulders covered in a thick, black cloak. The alpha’s scent was suffocating, brutish and violent and sharp. He sat so he had a view of the entire tavern. There was a mug of ale and a plate of food spread out before him and several other alphas lingering around the table. All appeared to be in his pack, glancing to him for some sort of signal or command.  
  
He was the indisputable leader of this little corner of the city. It was a small merchant area near the shore, a rough part of town that was run by alphas who found joy in the chaos of their hierarchy.  
  
“Did you bring my money?”  
  
As he spoke, JJ could see a gold tooth flashing from between his cracked lips.  
  
“Of course,” he replied easily, dumping a sack of coins that landed with a thud on the gnarled wood table between them.  
  
This alpha was an essential part of his plan. Known for his brutish tactics, he was a notorious smuggler who ran several illegal omega rings throughout the city.  
  
It had taken JJ’s men longer than he would have liked to find him, but JJ was determined. Finally, after so much planning and waiting around his plan could get underway.  
  
“You’re clear about your role?” JJ asked, his tone cocky as his slate gray eyes bore down on the smuggler, who went by Verum in Ilych's underground circles.  
  
The plan was simple–JJ would kill Viktor in a challenge for the throne and Verum would kidnap his younger brother, thus effectively ending the Nikiforov line in one fell swoop.

They intended to lure Yuri away from the safety of the castle. Verum would knock him out and sell Yuri into a bondage the omega could never escape.

The other man, who could have easily crushed JJ’s windpipe with one of his beefy hands, simply laughed at his question.  
  
“I run a business. I’m in it for the coin.” The alpha opened the bag, checking the hefty fee he requested from Lord Leroy before he would agree to the job. “And you’re a paying customer. I know what the fuck I’m supposed to do, so don’t you worry your pretty little face, my lord.”  
  
JJ tisked.  
  
“Remember who you’re addressing if you want to see the rest of the gold.”  
  
Verum stood, his bench scooting back with force and JJ visibly flinched.  
  
“I think you better be on your way.”  
  
JJ hated that his eyes darted away, that his head bowed in submission.  
  
“Just do your job,” he spat, turning to leave. Getting this alpha’s cooperation to do his dirty work was more important than his pride, even if it stung.  
  
What he hated, even more, was the laughter of Verum and his pack as he walked away. Hated their mockery.  
  
When he was king, he would rule with an iron fist, bringing it down on them and everyone else who doubted him.  
  
Of that, the alpha was certain.  


* * *

  
  
The council meeting started after the sun went done, at the mercy of the prince’s rapidly filling schedule. He had traveled across the entire city that day, meeting with local merchants, clergy, and other groups that were historically linked to the throne. Groups that had power and influence among the people. With the coronation so close, he needed to know as much as possible about the kingdom he was set to rule.  
  
A few of the lords had joined Viktor–Mila, Georgi, and even Otabek, who the alpha had developed a fondness for, partly due to the wonderful way the quiet man dealt with his dramatic brother. Otabek had calmness and determination about him, and the alpha prince was hopeful that he would become a strong ally to the throne.  
  
He looked at the others from where he sat at the head of the council table. They’d discussed trade, crops, and other boring measures for a few hours, getting the details worked out one by one. It was an exhausting and dull affair, but it was part of the responsibility of rule.  
  
Chris and a few of his guards lined the private chamber, as well as guards from the other lords present. This room had been used by generations of alpha kings to work through the politics of the lords who served them, making decisions about the land and having heated debates.  
  
“I’m tired. Let’s get this over with.” Nishigori leaned against the table with his chin in his palm. “We all know that Viktor is the most capable and the rightful heir to the throne. He is a worthy alpha. What else is there to discuss?”  
  
Several of the other lords nodded in agreement.  
  
“Here, here!” chirped Minako, who raised her goblet of mead. “I’m ready to begin the celebration. What do you say, Viktor? Will you break out the good rice wine now?”  
  
Viktor smiled over at her.  
  
“I would love nothing more.”  
  
Things had been relatively quiet in terms of drama amongst the nobles. Sometimes they enjoyed picking at each other, squabbling about nonsense to flex their alpha strength. It was exhausting and archaic and Viktor was happy to see it didn’t seem to be a problem with this bunch.  
  
Even JJ was subdued. The alpha was behaving himself for all intents and purposes, and while Viktor was skeptical, he also remembered what it was like when they were younger. JJ had always been petulant. Easy to put up a front and bluster, but not much of a threat in the long run.  
  
Servants brought forth ale and wine in celebration, and the nobles got up and stretched, talking excitedly amongst each other about the festivities to come. It wasn’t often there was a coronation and when it did happen, it was a grandiose and splendid affair. Nobles who loved fashions and luxuries and being seen especially enjoyed events such as the coronation festival.  
  
While the others chatted, Viktor looked over at JJ, who remained oddly silent. He didn’t partake in the drinks but seemed instead to be staring at nothing. Then his eyes darted to Viktor’s, and when they met, the prince could feel tension crackling between them.  
  
Their gazes locked in what seemed like a frozen moment, while the others were still chatting and drinking around them, fading into a white noise. The alpha lord looked pale, and Viktor cocked his head to the side as if he was a predator inspecting his prey. There was something behind his eyes that Viktor couldn’t understand.  
  
But then he was blinking away and the moment broke, noise erupting once more as Minako and Mila thrust a goblet of wine at Viktor.  
  
He took it from them happily, ready for the meeting to adjourn so he could wash the day’s grime from him. As soon as he could without anyone taking notice, Viktor slipped from the room with a passage only to be used by the royal family.  
  
JJ’s cold, grey gaze etched into his mind as he made away along the corridor to his tower. The prince was feeling the pressure of the long day, the niggling sensation at the back of his neck telling him to be on guard.  


* * *

  
  
“I thought I’d find you here.”  
  
Chris’ voice was low as he ducked beneath the entrance to one of the castle’s many saunas. The small wooden structures were a common part of Ilych life. This one exclusively served the royal family, but Chris passed the guards stationed outside with practiced ease.  
  
To say the omega was charming was an understatement.  
  
Viktor grunted by way of greeting, cracking open his blue gaze upon his friend’s arrival. His head leaned against the wall as he rested on the smooth wooden bench, steam billowing up around his naked form.  
  
“I’m totally fucked,” he said as Chris sat beside him.  
  
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Chris remarked with a chuckle, sighing as he stretched his long legs out before him. “I’ve never seen you act like this. Lovesick and pining. It’s adorable.”  
  
Viktor gave Chris a hard look, lower lip sticking out in a slight pout.  
  
“I want to be mad, but you’re so right,” Viktor finally said, a whine to his tone.  
  
He bent forward, elbows resting on his knees as his hands slipped into his damp platinum hair. He pulled the silky strands through his fingers and twisted the mass into a knot at his crown, securing it with a chord he kept around his wrist.  
  
“The coronation festival will begin in a few short days. I should be focusing on that. I need to keep Ilych united, to strengthen our people, to protect them. Yurio is running wild and I am entirely certain that JJ is up to something. There are so many responsibilities and customs to adhere to.”  
  
He tisked, a sad laugh escaping him.  
  
“It’s strange, really. I’m finally inheriting the last thing I ever wanted from my father. And I have a chance to do something good with this damned throne. Something that could bring peace. And I actually care.”  
  
He paused, taking a deep breath.  
  
“But?...” Chris prompted, sitting back and crossing his legs.  
  
“But....” Viktor answered, voice resigned and uncharacteristically serious. “Despite everything that needs my attention and this, the penultimate milestone of my life, the only thing on my mind is Yuuri.”  
  
Since sharing Yuuri’s heat, Viktor fell into his alpha role with an eerie familiarity. For something he had spent the better part of his adult life avoiding, it was...comfortable to embrace his instincts. His inner-alpha stretched and preened as he let it out in the open. Sure, Viktor had run amok in his younger years at sea, but he’d spent the better part of a decade carefully constructing a rigid control of the beast simmering within.  
  
The way Yuuri allowed him to be unabashedly himself was a luxurious feeling unlike any he’d experienced before, his alpha sated with it’s conquering of the willing omega, a balance striking within him finally. This relationship grounded him in ways he never knew he needed. It was new and exhilarating.  
  
But also terrifying.  
  
“So seal the bond with him,” Chris said, pulling Viktor out of his reverie. “Plant your mate marks on him and be done with it. It’s obvious you two are headed in that direction.” Chris’ hands moved as he spoke, his gestures causing the steam around them to swirl and circulate. “Finding your mate is supposed to be joyous. Why are you trying so hard to fight it?”  
  
Viktor groaned, sitting up to look at his omega friend. His voice was soft when he finally spoke, and Chris was a bit taken aback at the vulnerability he heard.  
  
“Every time I think about becoming king, I’m reminded of the lessons my father gave me as a boy. His voice echoes in my head, telling me to trust no one. To conquer everything with violence. There was no room in his teachings for love or soulmates or bonding as anything other than a way to tie unwilling omegas to your side.”  
  
Viktor glanced away, eyes on the floor as his mind swirled with memories. His father had been ruthless in his lessons, trying his damndest to mold Viktor into the same type of cruel, unshakable alpha king he had been.  
  
“One of the most vivid memories I have of my father is when he first...when he first made me kill.”  
  
Chris sat up, staring blankly at Viktor. Although they were close, he'd never heard the alpha talk much about his childhood. On a few previous occasions, Viktor had told Chris stories of his father and his cruelty, but this was something he’d never heard before.  
  
“He took me to a border town–one that had been skirmishing with our forces. They had been severely weakened by my father’s soldiers and the lord of that village was barricaded in his holdings.”  
  
Chris took a wooden ladle from a nearby bucket and poured a generous helping of warm water over the sauna’s coal. Steam rose around them as Viktor continued.  
  
“When we got there, alphas from my father’s army had destroyed everything. Homes were burned to ashes. Bodies were spread across the land. The sight haunts me to this day.”  
  
“How old were you?” Chris asked, peridot gaze fixated on the prince’s distressed features.  
  
“16.”  
  
“So young,” Chris murmured, face softening in concern for his friend.  
  
“By the time we got to the fortress where the remaining enemy forces were stationed, there was hardly anyone left. Our alphas quickly broke through their barricades and stormed the building.” Viktor’s hand curled into a fist, his eyes screwed shut as he concluded his story, voice wavering.  
  
“My father had to drag me in by the wrist through the halls of the ruined castle. I remember looking at one of their royal crests, splattered in blood and hanging in tatters. Tables were overturned, servants cut down in the halls, it was something out of a nightmare.  
  
When we reached the end of the hallway, he opened the door to a private chamber that belonged to the son of a lord who my father defeated, whose castle lay in ruins. He was older than me by a couple years, but not enough to be called a man.”  
  
Viktor paused, breathing in deeply through his nose and exhaling so that the steam around him spun in hazy ribbons.  
  
“The boy was the only one left,” his voice was grave, his eyes caught in an expressionless stare as the memory unfolded. “He was crouched in his chamber. His serving people were slain, littering the ground at his feet. I’ll never forget the expression in his eyes.”  
  
Chris looked over to see the flinting of one silvery tear, streaking down the prince’s reddened cheeks, the tip of his nose dipped in pink.  
  
“Viktor. You don’t have to continue.”  
  
“I...want someone to know.”  
  
“You’ve never told anyone?”  
  
“Who would I tell? My brother? Yakov? An alpha is not supposed to give in to emotion.” Viktor’s voice was shaking, his volume rising. “My father broke the boy’s leg and as he was on the ground in front of me, instructed me to kill him. When I refused he broke the boy’s other leg. Told me to put him out of his misery. The boy begged me to do it. And I remember my father’s eyes when I was done. Said it was good to get my first kill as an alpha. To get a taste for it.”  
  
“Holy shit,” Chris whispered. “I cannot imagine what that was like.”  
  
“After I did it I got on my horse and ran. I took my horse straight to the wharf and sold it. Sold my jewels. Sold everything and took a job on the first boat that would have me. I never wanted to see my father again. And I didn’t.”  
  
“No wonder you had such a hard time coming back. I didn’t realize you left when Yuri was so young.”  
  
“I don’t know if he’ll ever forgive me.”  
  
“How could he not?”  
  
“I abandoned him here. I left him with that monster.”  
  
“You’ve told me before that Yakov and Lilia stepped in to raise him. It seems as though he had limited enough exposure from your father.”  
  
“That’s not the point. I’m grateful that my father’s interests turned away from raising the perfect heir. That Yakov and Lilia gave my brother a safer upbringing. But I didn’t know that when I left. I left without thinking about what would happen to him. Without thinking about his safety. And by some design of fate, he seems relatively unharmed.”  
  
“You are here now, to see that his safety continues. Surely, that counts for something?”  
  
“I hope so.”  
  
“You’ve got a lot on your mind, my friend,” Chris said after they’d been silent for a moment. “My advice to you is to enjoy who you have while you have it.”  
  
Viktor smiled.  
  
“And remember,” Chris said as he stood, “you are not alone anymore, king.”  
  
Viktor stared at him, his expression softening in tender surprise. Then a massive grin graced his mouth.  
  
“You’re right, I know. I just need to figure out how exactly I’m going to keep from slapping anyone.”  
  
Chris laughed.  
  
“Something tells me your omega can help with your frustrations.”  
  
Viktor gave Chris a look that said he was not humored. Normally, he and Chris could joke about anything, but when it came to the omega he was protective. Jealous. An unfamiliar emotion for the silver-haired prince.  
  
He stood, grabbing a linen from the bench next to him. Chris copied him, picking a linen of his own from the pile, and the pair made their way to the exit.  
  
Viktor moved back the rough flap of leather that served as a door and stopped in his tracks when he came face to face with his brother.  
  
“Yurio,” he gasped.  
  
Standing next to the omega was Lord Otabek, who bowed in reverence to the prince.  
  
“Oy! Stupid brother. I told you not to call me that.”  
  
Viktor grinned.  
  
“Yurio! Why didn’t you tell us you had a new boyfriend?” Chris said from Viktor’s side, knowing his words would spark ire in the other omega.  
  
“Tch,” Yurio tisked. “Get out of my way, shitheads.”  
  
He pushed between them, huffing as he retreated to the sauna.  
  
Otabek waited for them to walk past, nodding again before he followed Yurio inside.  
  
Viktor and Chris exchanged a look and both burst out laughing.  
  
“Subtle,” Chris said as they walked back to the palace.  
  
Viktor knew he should probably be feeling more protective, more concerned for Yurio. But truth be told, he was glad the omega was finally opening up and making friends. He had a feeling the brooding, dark-haired alpha would be good for him.  


* * *

  
  
“Where shall we put this one, my lord?”  
  
Yuuri froze mid-motion at yet another voice. Each day since his heat passed, one after another in a long line of servants brought gifts to his chambers morning, noon, and night.  
  
Silks and velvets and rich embroidery. Gold and silver and jewels. Wines from every corner of the land. The chamber was spacious, but it was filling at an alarming rate.  
  
Viktor made it clear that he wanted to court Yuuri and lavishing him with luxuries accumulated during Viktor’s many travels was simply a part of expressing that. Yuuri spent most of his time just trying to take it all in.  
  
It was late morning, and he and Phichit were in the middle of practice for the performance Celestino planned for the prince's coronation. It would set to take place during the closing feast that would end the ten-day coronation festival.  
  
It would be Viktor’s first official royal feast after being placed upon the Ilych throne. Such an important occasion and Yuuri would be a part of it. His nerves thrummed with anticipation. The omega wanted this dance to be perfection. It could be if gifts would stop interrupting his practice.  
  
“My lord?” the omega servant repeated from the doorway. She was a pleasant woman in her forties with round cheeks and a kind smile that made her eyes crinkle in the corners.  
  
Yuuri looked at her, his eyes darting from her face to the luxurious green fabric in her arms, back to her face. Panic making his eyebrow quiver erratically as his hands began to shake.  
  
“Right over here!” Phichit called. He moved around Yuuri’s frozen form to receive the gift and thank the servant, ushering her away with his most congenial grin.  
  
Phichit shut the door behind her with a thud, leaning back against it and letting out a little huff of breath that sent his silken, dark fringe ruffling across his brow.  
  
“Well, now that that’s over…” the omega said, but before he could lift himself from the door there was another knock.  
  
“Oh, for crying out loud!” Phichit muttered, turning to swing the door open with dramatic flair. “What is it now?”  
  
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Viktor said, standing on the other side of the door in all his grandeur, causing Phichit to blush profusely.  
  
The alpha prince was dressed in rich, dark crimson. The tunic and cloak were decorated with ornate gold filigree along the edges. The tunic was cut very deep, so as to expose the curves of his muscular chest. Viktor’s hair was down, in a simple plait that trailed down his back, a few strays wisping about his face.  
  
He looked more like an ancient god than any mortal prince.  
  
“N-not at all, your highness,” Phichit finally mumbled out, stepping away from the door. If the omega averted his gaze, it wasn’t because of the alpha’s potent scent or his domineering stature. He was simply too beautiful to take in for very long, like staring directly into sunlight.  
  
“Please,” Viktor drawled as he passed a blushing Phichit. “Call me Viktor.”  
  
Phichit could only nod in response.  
  
“Yuuri,” Viktor purred, his blue gaze landing on the omega and settling with such forceful heat that Yuuri felt as though the prince was physically caressing him.  
  
“H-hello,” Yuuri stammered, blushing under the intensity of Viktor’s stare.  
  
But then the alpha’s face broke out into a heart-shaped grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he beamed at the object of his affections. A loud yip came from Viktor’s side and Yuuri looked down to see Makkachin, tail wagging and pink tongue lolling out of the dog’s mouth.  
  
“Will you accompany us for a walk about the castle grounds? I was planning to check on the preparations for tomorrow. It’s probably the last good bit of time we’ll have before the madness begins.”  
  
“Of course,” Yuuri answered readily. The festival was practically upon them and Viktor was surely anxious about it. Yuuri knew if he had to deal with anything of that magnitude, he would be in shambles.  
  
Since the alpha had been so busy, they hadn’t spent time together over the past couple of days. The absence after so much time in their bubble privacy was stark and uncomfortable. It chaffed around Yuuri like a vine, scraping at his skin–particularly the bite marks that dotted his skin like flower petals.  
  
Yuuri gave Phichit a look, who responded with a thumbs up and a knowing smile. The omega blushed again, his friend mouthing over at him:  
  
Go for it!  
  
They left the room, Makkachin trotting along happily as they passed the prince’s personal guard, including Chris, who winked at them as he slipped inside Yuuri’s chamber to see Phichit. The guard trailed behind them at a distance, giving them some semblance of privacy.  
  
He and Viktor walked in silence for a long while, the only sound echoing around the stone hallways was the click-clacking of the dog’s nails, their footsteps falling into sync as they made their way through the castle.  
  
“It’s a little hard to believe the coronation festival starts tomorrow.”  
  
The alpha finally spoke, his hands clasped behind his back as he led Yuuri to their first stop, the kitchens.  
  
“Are you nervous?” Yuuri asked, unable to imagine how Viktor was handling all of the pressure. He hadn’t gotten used to the prince title, and now the man who was the first potential mate he’d ever had, was about to be king.  
  
Viktor chuckled. “No, no, I wouldn’t say nervous. It’s more that I’ve been dreading this for so long but now that I’m here it’s strangely...comfortable.”  
  
During their first few nights together Viktor and Yuuri had stayed up talking about anything and everything. They talked until the wee hours of the morning, sometimes staying up to see the sunrise. Yuuri knew Viktor had a complicated and unpleasant childhood here.  
  
“That’s a good thing, though, right?” Yuuri asked. “To be comfortable. To feel at home.”  
  
Viktor looked down into Yuuri’s eyes and the vulnerability the omega saw in that blue gaze was stunning.  
  
“I feel at home when I’m with you,” Viktor said. He grabbed Yuuri’s wrist, fingers gently pressing into the omega’s gland as he pulled him through the door to the hustle and bustle of the castle’s well-equipped kitchens.  
  
They spoke with the staff, who were all flattered and delighted that the prince made time to check on them. It seemed like they were cooking for the entire city. Food overflowed from baskets and barrels. Pies and tarts and cheeses. Rich, round loaves of bread and piles of berries.  
  
They even parted with a few select treats that Viktor scarfed down eagerly, parting with a few biscuits for Makkachin as his heart-shaped grin spread across his face, “Vkusno!”  
  
After that, they walked to the courtyard, where decorations that had been in use since Viktor’s arrival were added to, refreshed, and expanded.  
  
The coronation festival was an onerous tradition dating back to the founding king. The buzz and anticipation around the castle for the ten-day affair that would culminate in Viktor’s coronation was thrilling and contagious.  
  
Flowers had been painstakingly plaited into a lush garland, with wisps of purple and green and white all draping across every archway and passage throughout the entire fortress, spilling out into the city below. Purple ribbons as thick as massive trees poured from every open window, smaller silver ribbons twisted artfully around every post and pillar.  
  
The general air amongst the people of Ilych was one of joy. It had been an uncertain period between Viktor’s father dying and Yurio presenting as an omega. The citizens finally had a leader and one who put the betas and omegas at ease.  
  
Children ran through the streets and in the city square merchants were setting up tents where they would be selling flags and whistles and flower crowns. There were puppeteers, parking their mobile stages and musicians practicing with plucky notes that hung in the autumn air with reverie.  
  
The prince talked with staff all over the castle, taking care to make sure to ask for their names and thank them for their work. Most of them had never spoken to nobility, let alone the alpha prince who would soon sit on the throne. Yuuri was constantly surprised by Viktor’s kindness and his seemingly limitless energy to entertain and delight the masses.  
  
By the time they finally finished their stroll, the sun was sinking low in the late afternoon sky. Viktor drew them back inside the castle walls and when they reached the tower where their quarters were housed, Yuuri noticed the guard had dissipated, leaving them alone.  
  
Instead of leading them up to his chamber, the alpha prince pulled them to a large tapestry hanging against the wall. Woven with careful handiwork was a hunting scene, and looked to be an older piece, threads worn and faded from sunlight that streamed in through one of the windows in the tower. Viktor checked the hall to make sure no one else was around, then pulled the fabric aside, revealing a heavy stone door.  
  
The prince used his strength to push it open, accessing a dank and narrow stairwell. It descended down into the bowels of the castle, past ancient stone that must have been part of the original construction, the temperature dropping as evening approached.  
  
He turned to Makkachin.  
  
“Wait here,” he said, the dog looking up at him, “and make sure no one disturbs us.”  
  
The brown beast yipped happily and laid down, quickly finding a comfortable spot on the floor. Yuuri wondered if the four-legged fluffball could actually understand his master.  
  
“I used to come this way all the time when I was a boy,” Viktor said, turning to smile down at Yuuri as he drew them within the stone hallway.  
  
“Where are we?” the omega asked, eyes adjusting to the darkness.  
  
There was no one around, even though noises of the castle filtered occasionally through the stone. The narrow hallway suddenly descended into a steep stairwell and the omega had to keep a hand trailing around the damp rock so that he didn’t fall.  
  
“In my opinion,” Viktor said, answering Yuuri’s question, “the best secret passage in this whole damn place. This path leads to my favorite spot in all of Ilych.”  
  
Viktor stopped suddenly, turning to stare at Yuuri. They were pressed together in a winding stairwell that had little to no light.  
  
“Do you trust me?”  
  
The alpha’s scent rose up around him and it coated the air Yuuri breathed. He sucked it in like he needed it to breathe, his heart fluttering in his chest as his body begin to ache.  
  
“Yes,” he whispered, yelping in surprise when Viktor begin moving again, his hand gripping the omega’s as he tugged him along.  
  
“Good!” he said, maneuvering down the passageway until the stonework dissolved into sheetrock.  
  
The alpha’s eyes were well-suited for night vision and he easily guided them along. They were very deep now, beneath the backside of the castle that was nestled in columnar basalt.  
  
Their path was widening, the walls expanding slowly. And then Yuuri could hear it, the gentle swell of the tide. They were moving toward the sea, the salty water lifting pungent in the air.  
  
Suddenly, the tunnel burst open, revealing a cave that stretched taller than the highest castle tower. The columns of rock that surrounded the city were rooted here, walling the vast chamber. There were cones of glistening crystal dripping from the ceiling of the cave and glinting in the golden sunlight that would be gone within the next hour.  
  
It was stunning, Yuuri’s eyes rounding as he took in the enormity of this glorious natural phenomenon. Viktor drew him in deeper, his steps never faltering, even as a stream of water crossed beneath their feet.  
  
“This is incredible,” the omega said dazedly, the scene before him, unlike anything he’d witnessed.  
  
The stream got bigger, but remained shallow, collecting the slow drip of thousands of crystals above them. The dazzling stone was the same shade of purple as the Ilych flag and Yuuri had to wonder if this is where the inspiration had come from.  
  
The stream then widened to a crystal clear lake that looked like a mirror, reflecting the light that was bouncing around the cave. On the other side of the lake was another rock shelf that served as a barricade at the mouth of the cave, protecting them from the sea. The opening was partially obstructed because of this, but Yuuri could still make out the ocean and the sunset.  
  
Explosions of color painted across the sky, only to be reflected in a kaleidoscope around the cave.  
  
Viktor drew them to one side of the cave that had a smooth, stone slab that jutted out a bit over the mirror lake.  
  
“I’ve always loved coming here and being struck in awe by the beauty of Mother Nature,” Viktor said, breaking the comfortable silence wrapped around them. “Whenever I was stressed or frustrated, this was my sanctuary.”  
  
Yuuri hummed in agreement, eyes still wandering over the delicious visual feast splayed out before him. Everything about this moment felt right and he turned to glance up at Viktor, only to find the alpha already looking at him.  
  
“Are you frustrated now?” Yuuri asked, walking over to put his hands lightly on the alpha’s hips.  
  
Viktor smiled down at him, wrapping his arms around the omega’s shoulders and pulling him into his chest. He breathed in the scent of Yuuri, rubbing his face in against silky strands of dark hair.  
  
The alpha was indeed frustrated. There was so much going on in his mind and he just needed to get through the next ten days and then he could think about doing what he wanted more than anything else in the world. He could bond with this omega.  
  
The strength of his emotion overwhelmed him and for a moment, he thought of keeping it to himself. Of lying to Yuuri and telling him that everything was fine. What sort of alpha would he be, after all, if he complained like a sniveling baby when things got hard.  
  
But Viktor pushed that fear aside and opened himself to this wondrous creature that he had taken as a mate.  
  
“Yes. I am frustrated. And scared. And excited,” the alpha murmured, his voice a gentle rumble against Yuuri’s cheek. “But more than anything I just want to be with my mate. And the fact that I have ten days of hell to get through before we can be together makes me...uneasy.”  
  
Yuuri’s breath stilled as he took in the prince’s words. This was the first time Viktor had referred to him as his mate.  
  
“Your mate?” he couldn’t help but ask, hating the insecurity in his voice as he stepped back to look at the alpha.  
  
“Yes,” Viktor said simply. “Is there any question in your mind?”  
  
“No,” the omega answered honestly. “But we haven’t really talked about what’s going to happen once you assume the throne.”  
  
“You’ll be at my side,” Viktor answered, pure and uncomplicated, as if there was nothing truer than their union.  
  
Yuuri gave a nervous chuckle.  
  
“But what about my dancing? After I perform at the coronation feast–”  
  
Yuuri was cut off when the alpha’s mouth came down on his. It was not gentle, but the pressure was molten.  
  
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that,” Viktor said quietly, hand cupping Yuuri’s jaw as he spoke. “I don’t think you should dance at that party. It’s too risky.”  
  
Yuuri backed up and wagged his finger at the alpha.  
  
“Viktor, you’re the one who is always at risk with that crown on your head. Don’t be silly. I’ll be fine.”  
  
The prince was a little surprised by Yuuri’s lecture.  
  
“People know that you’re my mate. They could want to hurt you to get to me.”  
  
“Me not dancing doesn’t automatically equal my safety. You know I want to perform for your big day,” the omega’s voice was soft as he leaned into Viktor’s palm. “You know how much it means to me.”  
  
Viktor huffed a little, pouting. “But I don’t want you to dance Yuuri.”  
  
Those guileless brown eyes stared into him and Viktor felt like a petulant child.  
  
“You don’t want me to embarrass you?” Yuuri asked in a near-whisper.  
  
“No! It’s not that.” Viktor growled in frustration. “You are mine, Yuuri. How can I sit idly by while your body is on display for the entire court?”  
  
His voice had risen to a yell, eyes flashing almost white as his scent flooded Yuuri’s nostrils, making him want to cower, domination and strength radiating from the alpha. For the first time since he’d met the silver-haired prince, the omega was afraid. His fear filtered through the air around them and Viktor’s eyes immediately snapped back to normal.  
  
“Yuuri,” he cooed, hands soft on Yuuri as he glanced them over his back, his arms. “I’m sorry. Yuuri, I’m so sorry.”  
  
The alpha pressed his wrist to one of the glands on Yuuri’s throat, his pheromones calming the omega almost immediately.  
  
“I hate that I’m this fucking jealous. Stupid alpha bullshit.”  
  
Yuuri was surprised when he saw water lining those platinum lashes, blue eyes swimming in unshed tears.  
  
“Viktor?” he asked, brushing hair out of the prince’s eyes.  
  
“What?” the alpha all but barked, but this time Yuuri felt no fear. It was as if his mate’s ire caused a chain reaction within the omega, the impulse to soothe Viktor’s pain coursing through him.  
  
“I’m just surprised you’re crying,” he added softly, brushing a droplet from Viktor’s lashes with an aching tenderness.  
  
“I’m mad, ok?” Viktor responded, voice steady despite the tears dropping down his flushed cheeks. “I’m not used to giving up this much..this much control. To feeling so damned much.”  
  
“If you’re frustrated,” the omega continued, hand sliding up Viktor’s chest, fingers drifting over the exposed skin at the deep v in the prince’s tunic, “just take it out on me.”  
  
Yuuri ground up against Viktor, feeling him go hard beneath the roll of his hips.  
  
The alpha’s nostrils flared as his crystal blue eyes shot down to meet Yuuri’s and the omega immediately reached up on his toes, pressing his lips against the seam of the prince’s soft mouth. Viktor looked like he was lost at sea, and Yuuri was an enchanting siren, luring him to safety. To warmth.  
  
Heat blossomed and arousal swam around them. Viktor broke the kiss roughly, lips smearing across Yuuri’s jaw as his mouth sought out the omega’s gland. His lips nursed it, suckling against his skin so that the oil might dribble into the alpha’s greedy mouth.  
  
“Yuuri,” Viktor growled low, “what are you doing to me?”  
  
He nosed Yuuri’s tunic out of the way and moved his mouth down the tender muscle of Yuuri’s shoulder, where he bit in hard. Enough to draw blood. And the omega whined for it, his body convulsing with pleasure at the sting of Viktor’s mouth. He was already slicking, his body already preparing itself for the alpha’s hard length, which was currently pressed tight against Yuuri’s abdomen.  
  
“Viktor.”  
  
The omega’s moan echoed around the cavern, the sounds of the sea swallowing it on one end as it arced around the crystals at the other.  
  
Viktor’s hands snaked around Yuuri’s waist and he lifted him, their erections rubbing against one another in the process. Viktor grunted, hips rutting helplessly against the omega, his blood boiling as every instinct within told him to take.  
  
He set Yuuri on his feet and stepped back, tearing his cloak from his shoulders and spreading it along the cool stone slab. With one hand behind his back, he pulled the tunic up and over his head, his magnificent body ethereal in the fading light of dusk. Lavenders and pinks and blues melted across Viktor’s skin and Yuuri felt his knees go weak when the powerful alpha turned towards him.  
  
“You really mean to sate my lustful appetite, little mate?” he asked, sending a thrill up Yuuri’s spine as the alpha’s heavy hands caressed his arms, roaming up to his shoulders then back down to his elbows.  
  
The omega could only nod, so enraptured was he with the steely determination in the alpha’s eyes. Something about the fierceness in Viktor’s expression called to Yuuri. The tears he had seen amid the strong set of Viktor’s jaw all belied this conundrum of a man. A powerful alpha, both physically and in name, yet he wept at his inability to change the tides of nature. A hard exterior that protected an empathetic heart.  
  
Viktor grabbed his wrists and pulled him into a bruising kiss.  
  
“You will tell me if I–” Viktor started, only to be cut off by the omega’s angry gaze.  
  
“Just because I am an omega does not make me weak, your highness.”  
  
The alpha’s mouth snapped open in shock, only to be replaced by a hunger that was wolfish.  
  
“So it seems,” Viktor whispered into the shell of Yuuri’s ear.  
  
He dragged Yuuri over to the cloak, standing in front of it with his wrists still firmly pinned in one hand. He released his grip and tugged Yuuri’s tunic over his head, mouth immediately latching to a pink nipple. The omega cried out, Viktor’s tongue and teeth teasing across his chest.  
  
Unlike the other times he had lain with the prince, Viktor’s movements were artless. Primitive. And it sent a rush of blood to Yuuri’s cock when he realized that the alpha was acting like an omega in heat. Yuuri felt powerful and basked in the sharp pull of Viktor’s mouth as one rough hand pulled down his leggings, freeing the omega’s erection.  
  
There was no pause in Viktor’s fluid motions as he crumpled to his knees and swallowed Yuuri to the hilt, his growl reverberating up the omega’s sensitive shaft. For the alpha, nothing was sweeter than the chorus of stuttered praise that showered down on him from Yuuri’s lips. He undulated his tongue along the velvet of Yuuri’s hard cock, curling it around his crown as he bobbed his head languidly, savoring each and every inch.  
  
Viktor’s hands were merciless as they kneaded the flesh of Yuuri’s ass, pulling his hips closer as he worked him. The prince gave Yuuri no room to retreat, sucking intently as the omega melted against him, his pace indicating that he was chasing down Yuuri’s orgasm as quickly as he possibly could.  
  
When Viktor felt Yuuri tensing beneath his ministrations, he slipped a hand down between them and rubbed circles along Yuuri’s glands. The omega cried out, and Viktor applied more pressure, Yuuri’s cock straining in his mouth.  
  
“Viktor!” Yuuri cried out, hips stuttering as he erupted in the alpha’s waiting mouth.  
  
Viktor swallowed his cum down greedily, his mouth nursing every last drop from his mate. Every ounce he produced and every single part of him belonged to the prince.  
  
Before he had time to come down from the climax Viktor had just given him, the omega was gently laid onto the crimson cloak. The alpha pulled his boots and leggings off, standing over Yuuri’s form in admiration, but only for a moment. Viktor’s cock was aching, the tension between his shoulders dangerously close to snapping as fire licked up his thighs and belly.  
  
He crawled on top of Yuuri, a hard thigh splitting his knees. The alpha growled as he felt sticky moisture from between the omega’s cheeks dribble against his leg. He leaned down, taking Yuuri’s mouth, his tongue plundering his mate’s silken warmth.  
  
The word reverberated in Viktor’s mind.  
  
Mate. Mate. Mate.  
  
He growled against Yuuri’s lips, two of his fingers dipping between them, rolling in Yuuri’s slick before pressing intently against his entrance. There was more resistance there than the prince was used to and his cock twitched as Yuuri’s hole pulsed tightly around him.  
  
“Open up for me, Yuuri,” Viktor rumbled against Yuuri’s mouth.  
  
The omega looped his arms around Viktor’s neck as his legs fell open in invitation.  
  
“That’s better,” Viktor crooned, praising his mate as his lips moved to cover more of his skin.  
  
The alpha probed Yuuri with purpose, his fingers moving deftly as he quickly scissored Yuuri open. He wanted to draw it out, wanted to linger and savor and delight in the bounty of his mate, but Yuuri’s words whispered in his mind.  
  
If you’re frustrated just take it out on me.  
  
Yuuri knew him. His mate. His perfect match, made for him alone. He knew how to calm Viktor and how to love him.  
  
The alpha gripped his cock in one hand, lining himself up with Yuuri’s quivering hole. He seated himself in one swift motion, hands grabbing Yuuri’s hips as the omega sobbed out at the intrusion.  
  
Viktor had a moment’s hesitation, wondering if he had been too forceful, but then Yuuri was writhing against him, his wrists rubbing fiendishly at the glands on his neck. Viktor replaced the omega’s wrists with his own, rubbing them gently so that their scents might mingle.  
  
“Are you ready, love?” he asked and Yuuri nodded vigorously.  
  
“Please,” he moaned.  
  
It was all Viktor needed.  
  
He took Yuuri fast and rough. The alpha’s hips slammed forward with unforgiving strength, and it was all Yuuri could do to hold on. The omega was still sensitive from his earlier orgasm, and Viktor’s brutal thrusts were the sweetest blend of pleasure and pain he’d ever felt.  
  
Then Viktor leaned down and bit into the omega’s neck, a hair's breadth away from his gland. So close to bonding, but not quite. Not until he was king. If he bonded Yuuri now, he would likely go into another heat and Viktor needed to be clear-headed throughout the festivities.  
  
Needed to reserve his strength. His power. And as he fucked into his mate, Viktor felt powerful, felt like he was worthy, felt stronger than he’d ever felt in his life.  
  
Yuuri whimpered, fingers slipping behind his knees to pull his thighs open as wide as possible. Viktor plunged in deeper still, rending the omega open, his breath coming in out in a jagged hiss. The new angle had the alpha’s cock glancing along Yuuri’s prostate, his body jerking at the sudden flash of sensation.  
  
Viktor hit the same spot, over and over, pounding away until Yuuri was bouncing beneath him like a ragdoll, voice completely spent as he screamed, head thrown back in pleasure. Time slowed and for a moment, all Viktor could think of was the way his omega looked in the throes of passion, broken and weeping from desire, and he committed it to memory.  
  
Yuuri grew tighter and tighter around Viktor as he continued his assault and the prince pinned Yuuri to the hard ground below so he could pump his hips harder. The sounds of their skin colliding filled the air, the scent of their sex a drug wafting around them. Viktor could feel the omega tipping on the edge of climax, his muscles straining, body bowing beneath the prince’s frame.  
  
Why was he denying himself?  
  
“Yuuri,” Viktor’s voice cut through the fog, immediately lighting up the omega, who let out a high-pitched keening sound in response, body quivering. “Come for me now.”  
  
Viktor gave a particularly rough swing of his hips, his hands tightening around Yuuri’s hips.  
  
“Nnnnggghhh!!” the omega shook his head feverishly, his cries muffled by the cloak. His mouth had dampened the fabric as he panted and salivated beneath the prince, eyes scrunched against wave after wave of pleasure, his skin pulled taut across his burning muscles.  
  
Viktor growled and reached between them to find Yuuri rock hard. He squeezed, and the omega cried out again, tears seeping from the corner of his eyes.  
  
“Give it to me, Yuuri,” Viktor commanded, planting his free hand next to Yuuri’s. “Why are you fighting?”  
  
Yuuri grunted, cracking his eyes open to glare directly at the prince.  
  
“G-give me your–arrrgghh–knot in me!”  
  
With that plea, Yuuri turned his face into Viktor’s forearm and bit into his gland. The prince climaxed immediately, a guttural scream sounding out, booming and thunderous. Viktor’s knot swelled, even as he continued to plant his seed deep inside his mate. He continued pumping his hips and stroking the omega, and the moment the swelling started, Yuuri was thrown, high and far, off a cliff of pleasure unlike any he’d ever known.  
  
Around him, the blues of night time and the bright light of a full moon illuminated the cavern. Yuuri’s head was spinning as he stared up at the crystals, wondering how in the hell his life had become something so...heavenly.  
  
He felt wanton and luxurious and safe.  
  
Viktor collapsed on top of him and their breath came in pants as they each tried to collect themselves. It was blissful and buoyant and soon they were laughing and teasing and making a mad dash for the lake–Viktor tripped a bit on his leggings, which were caught around his ankles, but he managed to make the water at the same time as Yuuri did.  
  
Beneath the moonlight and the ancient ceiling of sparkling rock, the omega and his prince played until their sides hurt, love and splashing in the womb of earth around them.  
  
Their laughter carried out over the sea.  


* * *

  
  
“Viktor’s gonna be pissed when he finds out that we fucked on his mate’s bed.”  
  
Phichit looked over to where Chris was lying next to him, panting. The two had come together every night since JJ’s arrival.  
  
“Yeah, well,” Phichit said, “we better hope that Yuuri sends him back in a good mood.”  
  
Chris laughed and Phichit studied his profile, wondering idly if omegas could mate for life, and snuggling into the soft pillow of the other omega’s chest.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....you like all these side ships? 
> 
> Thank you for reading!! Next time, the coronation festival begins!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr ---> @nihilistshiro.


	5. Unrest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ gets an unexpected and irritating message and Viktor's coronation festivities begin, featuring a dance from our favorite omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT LIVES.
> 
> I am so so so sorry for how long it's taken me to update this. There were times when I thought this was impossible, but I wanted to see this through. I owe it to myself and to you all to finish it. I've done some editing of the previous chapters, as well, so the rest should come rather quickly. I've mapped it out and there will be 12 chapters total (including an epilogue) and it's my mission to crank updates out.
> 
> Thank you for sticking with it. I love this fic so much and I want to make it as excellent as possible. This chapter is a lot of rising action that moves the plot forward. I hope you enjoy!

JJ’s hands were sweaty. The parchment crumpled in his fist was distressed to the point that the ink was no longer legible. It didn’t matter. He’d already memorized each word. 

Early that morning his men had woken him up to deliver a note from Verum, who was  _ supposed _ to be operating in the shadows. But he’d gone and requested a meeting with JJ. A black market criminal asking for an audience with one of the highest-rankings lords in all of Ilych. Impropriety of the highest order.

JJ stuffed the parchment in his cloak as he stalked down the cobblestone streets, passersby abuzz as they talked of the impending festivities and their new king. This detour would make him late to the grand opening feast, but he didn’t care. He’d already pissed the day away in council meetings before the castle was opened to the public.

He needed to put Verum in his place and quickly, before this spiraled out of control.

His lip curled in disgust as he wove through the well-wishers, their smiles and laughter grating his nerves. It should be  _ him _ they were celebrating, not some absentee prince who couldn’t even control his bratty omega brother, let alone an entire kingdom.

JJ had  _ trained  _ for this. Had bled for this. Had studied under the old king while Viktor ran off to the sea, abandoning his duties.

But even as his hatred for Viktor burned deep in his gut, JJ had come to a realization over the past few days that killing the prince would not suffice. The silver-haired alpha was well-liked and respected. JJ needed to tarnish Viktor's reputation first. Destroy the legend that people so admired. Otherwise, he would never truly win their hearts and the crown would be void of meaning.

With a vision of himself on the throne fueling him, JJ walked more confidently toward the inn Verum was currently using as his base of operations, albeit with two of his personal guards in tow.

He turned a corner, nearly knocking two beta peasants to the ground in the process, but he didn’t spare them a second glance.

JJ put a fist up, indicating for his men to wait outside. They were impeccably trained, their loyalty only matched by their superior skill. Their easy obedience spurred his alpha nature on, his spine straightening with confidence as instincts took over.

JJ pushed the door open and strode through the entrance, eyes scanning the crowd for Verum and his men. The inn was dingy and smelled like stale mead and sweat, notes of music drowned out by sounds of conversation. He passed a table of alphas playing cards, two of them arguing about an apparent cheater, their voices rising as they stood to fight. JJ sidestepped them, uninterested in the petty squabbles of commoners. He hated this place just as much upon his second visit and it made him move faster, ready to be away from the bottom dwelling scum.

The smuggler and his gang of alpha brutes were posted up in the corner, surrounded by omega women and a few betas, too, their greedy hands groping and searching, the scent of submission rising up like a cloud that almost choked JJ as he walked over to them.

“Ah, Leroy! You finally made it,” Verum boomed, his voice cutting off the revelry of his men as they turned to stare at JJ, their eyes hard and unforgiving. “I thought perhaps you’d gone soft and lazy staying within the safe walls of the castle, plumping yourself on the prince’s stores.”

“My time is valuable,” JJ said, pointedly ignoring Verum’s barb. He kept his head high, waving a haughty hand in the air. “Leave us.”

Like it or not, JJ was still a powerful alpha and Verum’s men could hear the authority in his tone. They looked to their master, who gave them a nod to leave, his earlier smile replaced by a grim line, his knuckles white as he gripped his mug of ale.

“I don’t appreciate your tone, Jean-Jacques,” he said as JJ sat across from him, but not before he wiped down the wooden bench with a handkerchief.

Verum enunciated JJ’s name with a partial growl, his scent rising angry and confrontational.

“And I don’t appreciate you sending a message to my private chambers,” JJ replied simply, his heart hammering in his chest even as he struggled to control his reaction to the other alpha’s aggression.

The smuggler raised a bushy brow, hands blackened by dirt and hardened with callouses as they folded on the battered wooden table.

“I certainly didn’t mean to offend you,  _ Lord _ Leroy.” Verum’s tone was incredulous, an innocent grin splitting his face. He dropped a small cloth pouch on the table. “I just wanted to wish you luck in your upcoming duel.”

JJ looked down at the pouch warily.

“What? Not good enough for you since it’s not wrapped in silk and delivered on a velvet pillow?”

Verum’s taunt was enough for JJ to reach out and open the parcel, tipping its contents into his handkerchief to examine them. Two green tablets spilled into his palm and he plucked one between his thumb and forefinger, turning it.

“What is this?”

“A little something to help with your fight. It brings out your...alpha strengths. Can’t have the prince gut you before you get your precious crown, now can we?”

A few of Verum’s men chuckled and JJ’s face went beet red, his eyes shooting daggers at the gold-toothed alpha.

“I don’t  _ need _ your help,” he said in a stony voice, dropping the tablets back into the pouch and sliding it across the table.

Verum rolled his eyes and scooped up the pouch, reaching across the table and tucking it into JJ’s cloak. He looked at him like he was a petulant child and JJ’s jaw clenched in response. Verum patted the fabric of his overcoat, smoothing it before fisting it in his tight grip.

“Now, listen here, you pompous alpha shit. I’m putting my neck on the line for you and your little scheme and I don’t intend to be made a fool by your failure.”

Verum was challenging him and JJ wanted to reach across the table and claw the smirk off his face. He pried Verum’s hand from his lapel and JJ’s scent rose up, violent and angry.

“Worry about getting your job done,” JJ sneered. “Take care of the boy and I’ll rid us of Viktor.”

Verum’s men moved to hover by their master, some reaching for their blades. If the situation wasn’t diffused, blood would be shed.

JJ stood and the bench scraped against the stone floor.

“Summon me again and you won’t live to regret it,” he said, turning to leave.

“Thanks for your paying us your respects, Righteous Lord,” Verum jeered. “It’s always a pleasure when a  _ noble _ takes the time.”

The other alphas were snarling as JJ walked out, but he held his head high. He was better than these dregs and needed to focus his energy on defeating Viktor in two days time.

Verum sank back down on his stool.

“What now, boss?” One of his men asked as they all returned to the table.

“We move forward as planned,” Verum said, taking a long drink from his ale, letting it dribble down his dark beard without care. He flipped a coin along his knuckles, watching it go back and forth. “Jean-Jacques still has his part to play.”

 

* * *

Makkachin bounded down the stairwell, fluffy brown ears flopping as he preceded Chris and Viktor into the great hall. The dog was dressed for the occasion, a plait of purple and silver ribbon tied merrily around his neck. Servants laughed and scratched him beneath the chin, some slipping him scraps from their trays.

Viktor watched with a warmth in his gaze that hadn’t been there when he first landed on Ilych’s rocky shore. Being home changed him. Made him happier in ways he didn’t expect.

Viktor grinned at a serving girl who was kneeling to rub Makkachin’s belly.

“He’s shameless,” he said by way of apology.

The girl—a beta—looked up, her brown eyes wide with shock.

“I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean nothing by it.”

Viktor let out a small huff of laughter.

“It’s quite alright. He needs the attention. Makkachin’s a bit of a diva, you see.”

The girl laughed and Viktor continued his way into the hall. He was dressed for the occasion, his fit body sporting in an elaborate purple and gold tunic embellished with amethyst along the collar, the finely-woven garment landing mid-thigh. His leggings were gold, patterned with complex swirls, the material clinging to his lean muscles like a second skin.

The ensemble was completed by a cape that trailed behind him in decadent fashion, small golden flowers woven into the fabric that sprinkled delicately along the shoulders and grew thicker and thicker, the bottom hem completely covered with them. Similar flowers were tucked into the intricate series of braids looping Viktor’s hair up into an impressive knot at the back of his head, with purple amethysts glinting in the silvery strands as well.

Makkachin looked up at the humans circled around him, tongue lolling from his open mouth. A plate full of roast duck passed by and he sprang to his feet, weaving through guests to follow the aroma.

“I see your dog isn't the only one following his nose,” Chris said, waggling his brows suggestively as they made their way to the dais reserved for the king’s court.

Viktor rolled his eyes, waiting for his attendant to pull out his chair before settling in between Chris and his brother, who seemed to be doing his best to ignore him. The other members of the council filled in the rest of the seats, save JJ who was nowhere to be found. Viktor tried to find it in him to be irked by the show of blatant disrespect, but he was too pleased with his rival's absence to care.

“I am not the one who has trouble controlling himself,” he said wryly, responding to Chris’ barb. “And at least Makka knows better than to muck about like a heathen in my mate’s chambers.”

Chris has the decency to look embarrassed and Viktor’s gaze slanted to the left to study his expression, smirking a bit at the memory of the omega’s shriek as Viktor yanked him from Yuuri’s bed.

In the heat of the moment, his reaction at finding Chris and Phichit in the aftermath of their...pungent lovemaking had been intense, to say the least. Their scents almost choked him when he entered Yuuri’s chamber upon their return from the lake.

The alpha in him rankled, the fragrance of others in his mate’s nest making his vision red with rage. But Yuuri was there, calming Viktor with a hand on his arm. One look from those doe eyes took the bluster right out of him.

_ It’s alright _ .

Yuuri’s voice had been soft, his sweet scent wrapping around Viktor, blocking out everything else. When the alpha cut Yuuri a confused, frosty glare, he stammered to finish.

_ I-I prefer your chamber anyway. _

The blush that swept across his features and the fondness in his gaze had convinced Viktor not to tear Chris a new one for his indiscretion.

Well, that and seven-plus years of friendship.

Chris cleared his throat, snapping Viktor back to the present, the omega’s peridot eyes widening at Viktor’s smile.

“Our dancers are performing tonight,” Viktor said, as if he expected Chris to deny his attachment to the other omega.

The prince hadn’t spent much time with Phichit, but he knew the young man was important to Yuuri, and that made him important to Viktor by default.

“That they are,” Chris drawled, his face smoothing out into a saccharine grin. “I’m surprised you let Yuuri dance, though. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with Phichit moving his body for this lot and I don’t have any of your alpha hormones riling me up.”

Viktor chuckled.

“Well, you’ve seen him dance. It's like he's creating the music with his body. Denying him that would be cruel.”

It was true that Viktor had apprehensions about Yuuri dancing, but he also didn’t want to cause his mate any undue stress. The way Yuuri moved his body was such a thing of beauty that even if he had to share it with a crowd, it was worth every second.

It was spiritual.

Belatedly, Viktor wondered if he could ever convince Yuuri to dance for him in private. Persuading his shy omega would be an exhilarating challenge.

“Can’t you stop your pathetic alpha pining for one night,” Yurio sneered to his left.

His brother was still a little punk, but at least he was falling in line. Viktor wondered if it had something to do with Lord Otabek, who had been a shadow at Yurio’s side the past few days. He'd spotted the alpha lord walking along the gardens with Polina, Yurio beside him and laughing–something Viktor couldn't recall seeing ever.

“If I stopped, you’d have nothing to complain about,” Viktor said, tilting his head with a confident smirk.

“I’m sure I could find something,” Yurio grumbled. “This entire festival is an annoying, decadent waste with you at the center of it. And you’ve been nothing but a spoiled diva, waltzing around the castle with that pathetic omega like a lovesick puppy.”

Viktor bit back his retort, trying to hang on to his earlier cheer, despite the throbbing just between his eyes. His day was already made long and frustrating thanks to hours of meetings with the council and other nobility. In one of the meetings, JJ had re-issued his challenge for the throne, adding another complication to Viktor’s life, and Yurio was not helping.

He did his best to ignore his brother, his blue eyes scanning the crowd of people who had gathered to honor him. Viktor knew he should be excited, that he should be humbled by the support shown from so many others–and to a certain extent, he was. Ruling was something he never wanted for himself, but he’d come to terms with it over the past few weeks and had accepted his fate, determined to make the most of it.

The feast carried on without a hitch. Viktor was approached by well-wishers and the council flanking him fielded questions and made small talk. JJ showed up eventually and Viktor gave him a scornful gaze as he slinked up to the dais to sit at the very edge next to Emil. He hated that their customs allowed such a traitorous weasel remain part of the court until their battle determined a final winner.

Halfway through the meal, servants began clearing away empty dishes and setting up stools at the far end of the dais for musicians, who plucked at their strings, adding sporadic notes to the noise of a contented crowd.

Viktor felt his pulse pick up and an unbidden wave of desire coursed through him. His mate would be here soon, and it was enough to prick up his scent so that Chris turned to give him a knowing look.

“Control yourself, prince,” he said with a small laugh.

Yurio tisked. “Moron.”

Their remarks fell into a fuzzy static as Viktor’s gaze locked on the dancers as they entered the hall. He spotted Celestino adjusting costumes a waving his hands as he spoke. The prince looked from face to face until he found the one he was looking for.

Trills of happiness bubbled up under Viktor’s skin when he spotted his omega. He was too far away to catch Yuuri’s scent, but he could feel it curling around him and held back a sigh. Yuuri was speaking with the female omega, Sarah, that Viktor met briefly at the Boar.

Chris’s elbow in his side broke him from his thoughts and his friend pointed down the table to Lord Mila, who was sitting two seats away, eyes trained on the dance troupe as well.

“Is it just me, or is everyone at the head table trying to mate with one of Celestino’s pets?”

Chris’s joke dissolved the last of Viktor’s tension.

The first strums of music lilted across the hall and Viktor let the warmth inside him spread, sipping the wine in his goblet and leaning back to enjoy the show. There was plenty to worry about. Plenty that needed his attention in the week before he took the throne.

But inside, he was overwhelmed with a sense of serenity, a foreign sentiment that told him to ignore the anxiety prickling beneath his skin at the thought of all that would come to pass. His worries would still be there in the morning.

For tonight, he would shed the burden of his father’s expectations, of his coronation, of the council and court and his impending fight with JJ.

Viktor would simply enjoy himself.

Across the room, a bard dressed in long, charcoal robes stepped closer to the fire. The crowd fell quiet as he spread his arms dramatically.

“Welcome, distinguished guests, to the event of a lifetime!”

The bard had an incredibly pleasant voice. His cheeks were ruddy but bright and the crowd leaned in to listen, the last of the chatter dying out.

“In honor of our esteemed company and the momentous occasion of Prince Viktor’s coronation,” the bard looked to the dais and bowed, the eager audience applauding as Viktor gave him a wave of his hand and a handsome smile, “tonight’s show will feature a story of strength!”

The man struck a pose, slipping open his cloak to reveal a decadent black velvet costume, his arm flexed and his fist raised. The crowd cheered, servants refilling glasses as the entire hall zeroed in on his words.

“Of passion!”

The bard struck another pose, a flower appearing in his hand as he leaned against a table. He tucked the flower into one of the guest’s ornate hairdos, much to the table’s delight.

“Tonight’s tale will reveal the miraculous origins of our fair city. We will go on a wild adventure to discover the ancient gods that ruled these waters before kings and castles and humans settled on the land. Tonight we explore a myth about life and love,” he continued dramatically, sweeping his arms wide. “I’m told by our patron Lord Celestino, that this tale has never before been performed to song and dance.”

An excited murmur went through the audience and Viktor wracked his brain for the tale the bard was speaking of. He didn’t remember much about Ilych lore from his childhood, as his father only valued what could bring him glory in bloody conquest. Viktor could rattle off each of the military leaders and kings who’d won great victories, but never learned much about the cultural history of Ilych and their old gods.

And if he was being honest, as the years passed, forgetting about the prison he was raised in got easier and easier. In the past few weeks, Yakov tried to cram in as much about the city in their private conversations as he possibly could.

His rested his cheek in his palm to listen as the bard continued.

“In the beginning, these lands were a paradise. Lési, the goddess of life and mother to all creatures, was so fond of our humble shores she chose to give birth to her seventh child here. A daughter named Aratas.”

The musicians began to play a merry tune and two dancers spun onto the floor, a beautiful yellow silk gripped in their hands. The dancers portraying Lés and Aratasi were garbed in white, gauzy fabric that billowed out from their hips. Sunny flowers were woven through their hair. They moved fluidly, feeding off each other in a delicate push-pull that connected with the joyous music.

“Her child grew to become goddess of the moon and spent her life managing its place in the heavens in perfect harmony with her older brother, Napp, god of the sun.”

A third dancer joined the two and they whirled around each other, the routine becoming more intricate. Viktor vaguely recognized the man dancing as Napp but couldn’t put a name to the face. He danced with Aratas, played by Sarah, their movements almost eerily in sync. He wondered if they were related in real life, the resemblance was so strong.

“Lési basked in the rhythm of the universe, her children working in tandem to continue the cycle, allowing life to blossom. All of Lési’s children were omegas, and she kept a close watch on them, not allowing them to take mates as she saw none to be fit, none able to care for them better than they could of each other. She settled the glorious land of Ilych as an ode to the harmony of their bond, creating a kingdom in which the gods could live among their creations, inviting peoples from all over the world to make this a new paradise.”

Other dancers joined the three leads, filling in the space and spinning between the tables. There was a musical interlude, and the dance grew flamboyant, the costumed professionals smiling and laughing with the nobility and flirting dramatically with the servants.

Viktor looked over at his council to see how they were getting on and caught JJ giving him the stink eye. He knew it was childish, but couldn’t help brushing his fingertips along the underside of his chin, flicking the back of his hand to JJ in a well-known but highly improper gesture.

At his left, Yurio let out a small chuckle. Luckily the crowd was oblivious, enraptured in the dance.

Eventually, it slowed. The bard was once again the center of the scene.

“One day, a visitor came to Ilych. Jeg, the god of winter. Each year Jeg signaled the end of summer and the start of winter, turning the land into a frosty wonderland as the earth replenished for another year harvest. But this was the first time the enigmatic god descended from the heavens to spend time among the people.”

It was Phitchit’s turn to enter the scene, his costume a magnificent blue with gold embellishments. Viktor remembered seeing similar costumes to the far southeast, and when the music changed, he knew he was right. His travels there had been long ago, but he vividly recalled the bright colors and spicy food. It was a unique interpretation of the lore, contradicting the northern culture of dark colors and thick furs, yet somehow it worked. Phitchit’s smile enchanted the crowd, who clapped along to the beat.

The music picked up and Phichit was a star. Back-up dancers dressed in summery clothes swapped out with new characters that matched the omega’s blue, wintery theme.

“During his time in Ilych, Jeg fell in love with the moon goddess. It was a forbidden love, for Jeg was an alpha, and Aratas was forced to hide the relationship from her mother.”

Phichit and Sarah were the only two dancers on the floor, the music slowing to something achingly sweet and romantic. The chemistry between them was convincing, and Viktor couldn’t help but grin at Chris’s expression, which was caught between jealousy and awe.

The pair danced a while longer, and the entire crowd seemed to be enamored with their love affair, hundreds of eyes tracking their movement as they whirled from one corner of the open space to the other. The melody took a sharp turn, the bard sweeping his arms dramatically as he continued.

“But soon they were discovered by the sun god, Nap, who immediately took the news to his mother. The lovers knew their time together was limited and so they sealed the bond, marking each other, alpha and omega, mates for life.”

Nap and Lési returned to the routine and the notes crescendoed furiously to mimic the confrontation between the characters.

“Lési cast a curse to punish them. She locked Jeg away in the sea, turning the water to thick, unbreakable ice that spread across the land. Nothing could grow in Ilych, and none could survive for very long. Animals fought for scraps and plants could last no more than a season or two before going extinct.”

Suddenly, most of the fires around the room were snuffed out, only leaving those that immediately surrounded the dancefloor. Servants threw handfuls of dark, glittering dust into the remaining pyres and they hissed, dimming down before sparking back to life with blue flames. The crowd ooh-ed and the musicians switched to a haunting melody, one that seemed to cling like a frost to the walls.

“Heartbroken, Aratas returned to the heavens with her family, raising and lowering the moon, but she was a hollow shell. Years passed, and Aratas wasted away, no longer the vivacious goddess she’d once been.”

Sarah danced alone, a single stringed instrument accompanying her. Her beautiful face was drawn with sadness and Viktor appreciated the amount of emotional energy she was putting into the performance.

“Ilych was abandoned, and life for the mortals turned into a brutal struggle for survival. Starvation drove the animals to madness and soon the land was filled with demons, unfit for humans and unfit for the gods. Lési’s paradise was a hell on earth, and she mourned for its loss. Day after day, Lési watched her daughter grow frail and knew she’d made a mistake. To correct this grave wrong, Lési sent her noble creatures to the sea to break the ice, but one after another, they failed.”

White silk spilled over from the mezzanine level above them, dropping gracefully into the circle of blue flames.

“There was one creature left, the silver eagle who stood watch over the heavens, and Lési was desperate enough to send him in one final attempt to free Jeg and bring happiness back to her daughter.”

In the glowing light, Viktor could make out the perfect curves of Yuuri’s body as it wrapped around the fabric and began its descent. His costume was skin tight, covered in sparkling stones that reflected light around the room. On his back were magnificent white wings with silver-tipped feathers and the crowd was entranced as he spun fluidly with the music, lowering himself down, down, down, until his bare feet touched the stone floor.

Once there, Yuuri stilled, striking a perfect pose with one arm wrapped around the silk and the other outstretched, one leg planted firmly on the ground as the other reached out behind him, foot pointed to perfection.

A new musical number began, the music slow but hopeful, accompanying Yuuri as he moved across the floor. His body was liquid grace, melting from one side of the room to the other. Viktor felt a pinch in his heart as he tracked the movements of Yuuri’s perfect form. The omega was lost in his performance, and it was as if the music lifted the wings strapped to his back, carrying him through the intricate solo.

“The eagle used its mighty beak to crack open the ice, freeing Jeg and letting life bloom out from the sea.”

Yuuri was suddenly joined by other dancers, the fires sparking back to life in a burst of bright orange. The ensemble cast began a synchronized routine.

“Aratas was beside herself with joy, and Lési blessed the couple, declaring their love to be pure and gifting them Ilych as their new home. Eventually, the animals were able to make use of the land and humans ceased their fighting, uniting together to build our great society.”

The crowd was hushed as the last chords floated from the hall. Yuuri was panting, covered in a slick sheen of sweat, face flushed and arms wrapped intimately around his middle. He looked up, stunned by the silence. Anxiety bubbled up hot and acidic, spilling over as he desperately searched for Viktor’s face.  Then the hall exploded into thunderous applause, nobles cheering, some of the more jubilant guests getting to their feet. He shifted, rubbing a hand along the damp hair at his nape as he stood dumbstruck in the center of the room.

His eyes finally locked onto the prince. Viktor’s expression was unguarded, a finger lifting to his silver lashes to brush away moisture. The alpha’s smile was a beam of sunlight and Yuuri returned the expression, heart hammering as warmth coursed through him, completely unrelated to his exhaustive routine.

He wanted to march up to the prince and kiss him in front of everyone. Wanted to ask what Viktor thought of the dance that Yuuri helped choreograph.

But the next act was starting to gather on the edges of the floor and he needed to get out of the way.

With one last look at his alpha, Yuuri and the other dancers made their way back to the staging area, several guests calling out words of praise as they passed. Joy frothed around Yuuri’s edges, a glowing, golden feeling bubbling under his skin, and he floated all the way back to the chamber.

Yuuri was done for the night and took his time disrobing. Luckily his friends were there to help, unhooking the elaborate winged costume so that Yuuri could tuck it away. The dance had taken all of their spare time to master, but the look on Viktor’s face made it worthwhile.

He, Phichit and Sarah reviewed the performance, highlighting their favorite moments as Phichit got ready for the final number. They fell into a fit of giggles as they talked of Chris and Viktor, and Yuuri was overwhelmed with delight. He’d never gushed about a mate before and it seemed so right.

Yuuri helped Phichit lace up a turquoise ensemble and told him to break a leg when he left. It took Yuuri a few more minutes to compose himself before he was ready to head back to the main hall and watch the finale. He rounded a corner when Yurio stepped out of a shadowed corner to get in his path.

“Are you having fun ruining my brother’s life?” he sneered, arms crossed tight over his chest.

The young prince was dressed in silver and purple, the Nikiforov colors, and his hair was braided and pulled back at his temples.

“E-excuse me?” Yuuri stammered, taken aback by the other omega’s aggression.

“Do you think you’re doing him a favor by distracting him? With the challenge JJ issued, he should be spending every spare minute training. Instead, he’s off humping like an animal with you, peasant swine, all but guaranteeing JJ’s victory. It’s a grave, not a crown that awaits him.”

Yuuri’s eyes went wide.

“What?” Yuuri’s voice was barely above a whisper and he felt an icy chill creep up his spine when Yurio smirked, the quirk of his lips a malicious cut across his face. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, this is rich! You mean he didn’t tell you? JJ came to Ilych with the intent of fighting me for the crown, but Viktor accepted his challenge in my stead.”

“Viktor has to fight?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it, pig? And here he is, mooning over a pathetic commoner like you. It’s no wonder Yakov was yelling about how disappointed he was.”

Yuuri’s heart sank, his head bowed in defeat.

“If you care about my brother at all, you’ll stay the hell away from him.”

Yurio left and the other omega could only stare after him in shock. How could Viktor hide something so important from him? Yuuri ran over every conversation they’d had in the past few weeks about his coronation, and while he’d mentioned the festivities, he absolutely didn’t mention a fight.

Questions buzzed around his brain like an agitated swarm of locusts and Yuuri was near panic by the time he made it back to the great hall. He stood on the peripheries, watching his friends perform but not really seeing them. He wanted to go to at Viktor and demand an explanation.

Around him, the laughter and merriment of the crowd whirred in a loud fog that left him disoriented. How could they carry on like the world wasn’t collapsing around them? The pleasant trills were venomous and suffocating, mocking the sharp stab of fear twisting in Yuuri’s gut. He tried to calm himself, but his gaze kept dragging across the head table, from Viktor to JJ to Yurio, a dizzying cycle.

As the dancers took their final bow, he was still a nervous wreck. He should go back with them. Get some distance from the castle and the prince. Yuuri somehow made it to the back of the hall, his hands scrambling for purchase against the stone wall as he stumbled toward the exit. He felt like a chain around Viktor’s throat, dragging him down on his ascension to the throne, too weak to be included on the true nature of the coronation festivities.

The hall was lit with torches, but unoccupied, and for that Yuuri was grateful. Tears welled in his eyes, and he was frustrated at how upset he was. It felt like Yurio was winning. Like Yuuri was weak.

Yuuri wasn’t sure how he ended up outside. His tunic and leggings providing little warmth against the crisp air. The courtyard was spacious, the castle protected by high walls. Yuuri stayed close to the structure, leaning against the castle as he organized his thoughts.

The omega tried to tell himself that Viktor would be occupied with the party, but he realized too late that the alpha wouldn’t have let him slip away unnoticed.

“Yuuri. What are you doing out here?”

Viktor’s voice cut across the darkness, but Yuuri didn’t turn to look at him. A warm palm closed on his shoulder and Yuuri hiccuped.

“Yuuri?”

Viktor’s voice was so soft, so tender, Yuuri sobbed aloud. The prince pulled him into his embrace, wrapping his cloak around them both and hugging Yuuri tight to his chest.

Yuuri tried to find his voice. He wanted to scream and yell. How could Viktor keep this from him? But another part of his mind was paralyzed with fear. What if Viktor lost his fight? Yuuri wasn’t sure he could survive the pain of losing him.

Viktor’s hand stroked down his back and Yuuri bristled against his touch.

“When were you going to tell me about your fight with JJ?”

Yuuri tried to pull back but the alpha’s arms were steel bands around his waist.

“What?”

“Yurio told me.” Yuuri knew tears were streaming down his cheeks, brows furrowed as he poked a finger at the prince’s chest. “How could you keep this from me?”

For a long beat, Viktor was silent. He opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut, their breaths fogging between them in the frigid night air.

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry,” he said at length.

“You called me your mate, didn’t you? I’m supposed to stand by your side!” Yuuri’s voice rose with anger, his fists thumping against the alpha’s chest. “You think me too weak-willed? Are you ashamed of me? All this time we’ve been spending together when you should have been focused. I’m such an idiot!”

“No! No, Yuuri, that’s not—”

“I don’t need you to coddle me! I may be an omega but I can take care of myself and I  _ want _ to take care of you! I’m not some distraction from your royal duties,  _ your highness. _ ”

Viktor sucked in a breath, surprised by his mate’s adamant reaction. He knew he should have told Yuuri about the challenge, but he was hoping to keep Yuuri from such unpleasantness.

“Yuuri,” he said, cupping Yuuri’s cheeks in his palms, his thumbs brushing away the omega’s tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I should have told you sooner. Until today, I didn’t know it was actually happening. I thought JJ might be all talk.”

A little of the bluster went out of Yuuri and he relaxed against Viktor.

“You are strong, Yuuri. You’re not a distraction and I’m not ashamed of you. I want you at my side. I just...I’m sorry.”

Yuuri sniffled. “When is it? When is the fight?”

“Two days from now.”

“So soon.” Yuuri’s voice was just above a whisper.

“I understand if you want to be alone for a while,” Viktor said. “But just know that I love you. Your love makes me stronger.”

Viktor leaned down, his intentions clear. He was giving Yuuri enough time to pull back, but the omega was too spellbound to move. Their lips met in a featherlight kiss.

“I’m sorry,” Viktor whispered against his mouth.

He kissed Yuuri’s cheek. “ _ I’m sorry. _ ”

His forehead. “ _ I’m sorry _ .”

His eyelids. “ _ I’m sorry. _ ”

By the time his lips returned to the omega’s mouth, they were both shaking.

“Will you come to bed with me?” Viktor asked. “Not–not to mate. Just. Let me hold you. Let me be close to you.”

Yuuri let out a ragged sigh and nodded.

The evening had been full of highs and lows, extreme emotions that left Yuuri exhausted. He sank against his alpha, his mate, pleased with the resolution to their fight, and let Viktor lead him back into the castle.

Bed sounded perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Shanny for beta-reading and for encouraging me to continue with this fic, even when seemed impossible!!! 
> 
> Tumblr has pretty much banished me, so find more trash and nonsense on my Twitter---->[@nihilistshiro](https://twitter.com/NihilistShiro)


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